~Chapter 6~

Katherine opened the front door and walked around the corner to see Colton sitting on the opposite end of the white stairs where the incident had taken place. His hands were covering his face that was settled in between his knees. She approached him calmly, trying not to scare him.

"Colton…" she eased. He raised his head at the familiar voice he had been wanting to hear from. He began to clear the tears that had formed with his shirt and swiftly jumped over the step to stand with her.

"Hey," he sniffled.

"Colton, I'm sorry about reacting the way I did and about snooping around in your business when I shouldn't have. I didn't understand the whole situation and I drew conclusions way too soon."

"Katherine, you don't need to-" Colton was cut off.

"Yes, Colton I do. I was curious to find out the real reason why Georgia was back and when I heard her voice out the balcony door, I couldn't help but attempt to get my answer." Katherine adjusted her standing position. "And when she looked up at me before she kissed you, I knew in that instant that she had you and you were gone, just like the old days. I didn't want to face the reality that history had repeated itself so I shut the door and in doing that, I didn't stay long enough to realize that you weren't going to leave me that fast."

"Thank you for your apology. My turn." Colton took a step closer to Katherine. "I'm sorry for allowing it to be taken too far. I should have known something was going on when she promptly switched our conversation from telling me everything she's done in the time that I haven't seen her to asking me why I was with you last night. I'm sorry for being part of the reason why she hurt you yet again. I'm sorry for not pushing her away faster before you slammed that door. And I'm sorry for making you feel like you lost me again. As soon as that door closed, I knew that I really screwed up. Katherine, you could never lose me that fast, especially to Georgia who means—and has always meant—absolutely nothing to me compared to you. I love you." When Katherine discovered that these were the exact words she'd been wanting to hear Colton say, she confessed her feelings too.

"I love you too." At that moment, Colton grabbed Katherine's hips, pulled her in close to him and brushed her hair behind her ear ahead of giving her an intense kiss. Katherine swung her arms around his neck to make sure that there wasn't any space between them keeping them apart. He pulled her off her feet and held her tight as she swaddled her legs around his body.

When they finally gave each other a moment to breathe, they looked into the other one's eyes and let their white smiles show their happiness and joy that everything turned out just fine.

The couple spent every day of the remaining summer together, whether that was climbing the stairs to the Venetian Castle, going to Valtos Beach to go rafting, swimming at Parga Beach or walking around the town to see what each shop had to offer. They continued to grow closer to each other.

The first week of August had arrived and summer was beginning to come to an end. Instead of leaving last month, Skylar came to the decision to stay an extended month with Katherine to help out at the bistro if she and the family needed it. At the same time, she also wanted to spend more time getting to know Liam. Soon enough though, real life was going to take its toll and turn the couple's lives around.

On Friday morning, Colton received an email from his job explaining that they needed him to return very soon because his help was essential in the office. After he read the email, his heart completely dropped. He didn't want to share the news with Katherine, he wanted more time with her. Regardless, Colton had no choice but to tell her, otherwise she would never forgive him. Therefore, he had no other time but the present to tell her before it was too late. He slipped on his shoes and walked from his house to the bistro only to stop at the corner and find her taking a new customer's order. When she finished writing down the man's order, he swallowed every doubt in his mind that didn't want to say a word and made his way inside. Katherine was filling a coffee cup with coffee and snatched a packet of sugar with a tiny cup of creamer when she looked up and saw Colton in the doorway.

"Oh, hey, what're you doing here?" He gave her an aching look.

"Do you have a second?"

"Umm, let me get this man his coffee and I might have a minute or two before another customer comes in, hold on." In the blink of an eye, she returned back inside the bistro and guided Colton around the counter so that they could talk on the barstools. "Okay, what's up?" Colton appeared forlorn.

"I uh-I have to uh…" He hesitated. Katherine reached over to grab his hand that was resting on the counter.

"You have to what?" Colton let out a sigh.

"The office needs me back in Rhode Island by Monday." Katherine began to blink faster.

"Oh." Colton explored Katherine's depressing look. "That would mean that you'd have to leave what, like tomorrow night then?"

"Yeah." Colton assured. Katherine looked off into the distance and took a deep breath.

"Well...okay. Are you wanting to go back that soon?"

"Are you kidding? I'd much rather be spending my final days here with you."

"But…?" Katherine knew there was something else he wasn't telling her.

"But I started thinking about how at some point--even if it wasn't as soon as Monday--we would have to return to our individual states at some point, ya know?" Colton gulped.

"So what are you saying?"

"I wanted to ask you what you thought about coming with me?"

"To Rhode Island?" Colton nodded. "Colton, I love you so much. But I don't think I could ever leave Colorado, it's been my home since I was born. My whole life has been structured there and most of my family is there...I could never leave them."

"I understand." After they gazed at each other for a minute to think about what they could do to make it work, Colton continued, "Well then, we need to use our remaining time together wisely." Katherine agreed and stood up as she heard her name being called back in the kitchen. Colton stood up subsequently and gave her a tight hug when he saw her begin to worry. "Don't you worry about a thing, I'll find a way to see you again."

"I'm off at five today, I'll see you then?" She questioned as she pulled away when her name was being called once more.

"Yes ma'am, I'll be waiting for you." She blew him a kiss before she disappeared into the kitchen and Colton walked off into the heart of the town to busy himself for a couple of hours.

Five o'clock came quicker than expected, which worried Katherine because if she only had a day to spend with Colton before he left, it was going to be over in the blink of an eye. She clocked out and went upstairs to change and get a status update on Colton's whereabouts. He told Katherine over the phone that he was up the street finding a souvenir to take home with him. As if there wasn't enough stress over the time they had left, Colton added more as he continued talking. Katherine had to stop him before she hung up and broke down in tears.

"Colton, just buy the white shirt with the 'Napya' on it and meet me at the gyros shop in five minutes." 'Napya' was the Greek language's translation of 'Parga'.

"You got it dude!" Colton quoted Full House. Katherine was able to slip on a romper and her flats before she left the apartment.

"Ah, there you are. What took you so long?" Colton teased.

"Oh shut up, I'm a minute early," the two giggled. Each of them got a gyro and Katherine led them to Parga Beach where they finally ate their still-warm gyro. There were a few others sitting on the sand in the distance, but they didn't mind while they carried out their final night together for probably another long seven years.

"So, are you ready to go back to Colorado?"

"Not exactly. I never really liked leaving Parga. Every time I come here, something amazing always happens and I'm never in a panic to get back. How about you, are you ready to go back into the states?"

"After this whole summer turned out, no way. Not this time."

"I agree." They took a bite of their gyros and savored the taste of how a real gyro should taste, not how America attempts to make. Although the two are quite similar depending on where you get it, the difference might just be where you were eating it. Katherine believed the best place to truly savor a gyro was in Greece, hands down.

"Do you intend on visiting me anytime soon when we go back?"

"Only if you want me to!"

"You and I both know you want to visit me. Especially because the beach is only a 20 minute drive from my house," he winked.

"Oh, well then I just might have to consider visiting soon." Her smile appeared and even though it was hard to admit it, it was one of his weaknesses. How was he going to be able to leave that smile? Could he ever?

When they finished their gyros, they threw the wrappers in the trash and walked along the shore. They continued to talk about what might be happening back home with their individual families and what they were looking forward to in the near-future as the sun set.

After the sun lowered fully below the horizon, Colton and Katherine made their way back to Katherine's apartment to watch Netflix. It took them a while to search for a movie they wanted to watch, but they finally picked Set It Up.

Around halfway through the movie, Katherine fell asleep on Colton's chest and Skylar walked into the apartment calling for Katherine to find out if she was home. Katherine must have been in a deep sleep because she didn't answer, let alone move.

"She's up here," Colton whispered.

"Colton?" Skylar quietly crept up the small stairs and found Katherine fast asleep.

"Yup, it's me."

"Do you need me to move her up so you can get going?" She chuckled.

"Thank you but I think I'm fine. I don't want her to wake up. She seemed tired after work today."

"I bet. Most of the tourists are beginning to leave town. Summer's ending, sadly."

"Yeah, I don't want to go back so soon."

"Neither do I. This was my first trip to Parga and this place is wicked cool, I love everything about it."

"Oh yeah, it's definitely been a memorable summer." He looked down at Katherine and smiled prior to running his fingers through her brown, shiny, curly hair.

"Well, I'm gonna head to bed, I'm completely wiped from today too, just looking at her sound asleep is making me tired. Do you need anything?"

"I think I'm fine, but thank you."

"Okay. Goodnight then." Skylar turned around and made her way back down the stairs.

"Goodnight." Colton paused the movie and then shut the computer screen. After he carefully set the computer on the nightstand, he made himself comfortable and then he too fell asleep.

Katherine woke up first before Colton and Skylar that morning and decided to make them a nice breakfast, especially Colton because it was his final day left in town. The limited hours he had left haunted Katherine while she whipped three eggs in a bowl and poured them into the pan. Skylar then woke up from the crackling and popping noise as Katherine flipped and moved the eggs around to scramble.

"What on earth Katherine. It's six a.m. Why are you up so early?"

"Colton has to get on the bus at four later today, so I need to spend them wisely. With that being said, I thought making breakfast was a great way to start."

"Alright, I understand. Could you put my plate in the microwave when you're done? I'll eat them when I actually find the motivation to get up. I'm going back to bed."

"Yeah, for sure." Katherine giggled quietly. Around five minutes later, Katherine could hear Colton wake up and come downstairs. She was caught off guard when he was standing behind her, grabbing her hips and planting a kiss on her cheek. "Good morning to you too," Katherine started grinning.

"Good morning beautiful. What have we got cooking here?"

"Well, I made us all some eggs and toast and I'm about to cut up some strawberries Francy brought up yesterday."

"What? No bacon?"

"Oh no. Bacon is disgusting."

"What?!"

"I've just never liked it."

"You know what, it's not even worth it. I'm sure you've had multiple discussions about this from other people." Colton calmed himself down.

"You have no idea!"

"Well, it looks delicious. Thank you."

"Of course." After that, they sat down on the barstools and enjoyed their meal. "Okay, what's the plan today?"

"Oh no, today is going to be all about what you want to do."

"Okay, um, how do you feel about going to take one last walk on the beach before you leave?"

"I'm in. What's the plan before that?"

"Good question." Katherine took a second to think. "You know what? I'm not gonna tell you just yet. You're just going to have to accept the fact that that's for me to know and you to find out."

"Sounds good to me. Let's get going." The couple put their plates in the dishwasher and Colton slid his shoes on to leave for his house. "I'm gonna go get ready. Meet me at the brick wall at the end of the alley when you're done."

"Okay, see ya there." They collaborated a quick smooch as Katherine was closing the door.

"See ya."

As Katherine was approaching the stone wall coming out of the short alley, she watched the water create waves to eventually crash into the other side of the wall. She gently put her hands down on the wall and closed her eyes to once again allow the smell of the ocean water to establish a new memory that she wanted to take away from Parga when she left. When she opened her eyes, she came to the conclusion that being in town for another week without Colton was going to be hard and she didn't want to go through with it. Therefore, she decided to leave Monday morning with Skylar back to Colorado. From the corner of her eye, Katherine could see someone walking in her direction that was quite close to her. When she turned, she saw that it was Colton. He was wearing a white button-up, short sleeve shirt with black khaki shorts and his white vans.

"Look at you, lookin all handsome."

"Who, me? No, I'm just dressing up this nice for the flight in a bit. I don't want to have to cut our time short because I need to change." He watched her expression diverge from excitement to miserable. "But I also wanted to impress you." Suddenly, her depressing look wiped off her face as she took a few steps closer to Colton.

"Colton, I don't need to be impressed. I just need to know that you're the same person I met and fell in love with all those years ago."

"Well then you're in luck because I can affirm that. Although I'm much taller than I was back then." The two laughed concurrently. Katherine put her arm out indicating a 'shall we?' He nudged her arm underneath his and they triggered the beginning of their final adventure. "Alright Miss Katherine, where are we going first?"

"Nope, that's not how this is going to work. Each place is a surprise. You're just going to have to wait and see."

"Okay then. No more questions asked." They made their way over to the ice cream shop to pick up a cup of their favorite ice creams to enjoy on the walk to the next place. When they came back outside the ice cream shop, Katherine guided Colton over to the boat dock. Their leisurely stroll over towards the bench at the end of the dock made the walk seem longer. When they sat down, Katherine attempted to recall a moment they shared on the dock.

"Do you remember when all of us--The Fantastic Five-- were around eleven and we ran out to this exact bench and JP pushed me into the water."

"Oh yeah. I think that was the same day that I finally knocked him one in the face because he was being so selfish and so jealous of you. I was fed up with his constant idea that he felt the need to compete with everyone for a friendship with me and he was hurting all of you to get his way."

"He's changed a bit since then. He misses being around you every summer." Katherine explained.

"That was also the first day I ever saw you cry your hardest. When I jumped in and helped you out of the water, your mind was racing a million times a minute and all you wanted to do was make JP pay for what he did."

"You're right. And then you somehow found a towel to swaddle me in when I sat shivering and dripping wet on this exact bench."

"Some nice lady gave me it when she was coming off a ferry that day." Her eyes moved over in Colton's direction sympathetically.

"Listen, I don't know if I ever said it back then, but thank you for getting me out of the freezing water. I was so cold once I landed in the water that I just wanted to be super still and not move."

"You're welcome. I know how cold that water can get in October nights so I understood how you felt." He reached out and placed his hand on hers. After a heart-felt moment ended, Katherine escorted Colton up to the top of the town near the main street where cars drove past. Their chins were killing them and they were almost out of breath when they eventually obtained the top. Katherine turned Colton around to take a nice glance at the view from above.

"Now, when you leave today, I want you to never forget what I'm about to say."

"You have my word," Colton agreed.

"Close your eyes. 'Dave Hedges once said 'Always keep your chin up and your head held high during tough times. If you're looking down at the floor, you won't see the many beautiful things right there in front of you.' " Colton was grinning when he opened his eyes back up to find Katherine standing in front of him next to the view of the whole town of Parga.

He seemed to have gathered his thoughts in advance of speaking. "All this time away from this town, I am now realizing that it wasn't Parga that I missed the most. It was you." He then caught her off guard by wrapping his arms around her and giving her a hug. "I'm glad it's you."

"I'm glad you got that straightened out."

It was now three o'clock. Colton had exactly one hour left to spend with Katherine until he had to drift off back home. They strode on back down to the beach and as promised, acquired their last beach walk. They talked more about what their plan was to meet again and discussed their manifested futures. Miraculously, their idealistic futures were more similar to each other than not; a relationship that lasts a long time, a successful career, enough money made so that they could produce kids one day and be able to support them, and so much more. Charlie had his arms around Kira's chest while they looked out at the wedding being held at the church across the way when all of a sudden, Colton's phone received a phone call from his boss. "Um, could you excuse me for just a minute? It's my boss."

"Yeah, totally. Go ahead." As Colton walked a few steps into the distance, Katherine glanced at her Apple Watch and started to panic. It was 3:56 and he needed to leave right now before he was late for the long bus ride to the airport. She couldn't quite pick out what was going on except for an often 'Yessir". He hung up the phone and placed it in his pocket prior to turning around to see Katherine tearing up. "Katherine? Oh Katherine, please don't start crying, you're gonna make me cry the whole trip home." Colton grabbed her, pulled her in close and kissed the top of her head.

"Please don't forget me for another seven years." He cupped his hands around her face and wiped a tear away that was racing down her face. Not long after, he caressed her cheek and moved her hair behind her ears.

"Look at me. I am not going to forget you, especially not after everything that has happened. You are the most selfless, determined, incredible and amazing person that I have ever met. You're absolutely gorgeous, smart and crazy beautiful inside and out. I have never met anyone like you before. And I wouldn't do anything to throw that away. Once I get home, I'm going to speak to my boss about some arrangements. I will ensure that I see you very soon, okay? Do you trust me?"

"Yes." She closed her eyes again and sealed her arms around him.

"You make me so happy, you know that?"

"You make me happy too." Then, he gave Katherine a romantic and passionate kiss. When they broke away, he whispered quiet enough that ensured the knowledge of them being alone.

"I will see you soon, love. I'll call you every chance I get. Previous to leaving, give me a few minutes to get out of sight before you open your eyes because I don't want to walk away knowing that you're watching me, please do that for me. I love you."

"I love you more." Their foreheads were touching making sure they were right there in the moment.

"I love you most." Within seconds, Katherine's hand was disconnected from Colton's and she kept her eyes closed to honor his word while his presence left her alone in the sand.