"Do you want pizza for dinner?" Cath asked, making her way to the kitchen.

"Sure."

"Do you want to help?"

"Only if I can chop something," Matt grinned.

Catherine rolled her eyes with a laugh. "Don't hurt yourself."

"I won't," Matt smiled.

"That's what they all say," Cath smirked, handing him carrots to cut up and put in the salad.

"What are you insinuating?" He laughed.

"That you're clumsy."

"Lies."

Catherine giggled as she turned to grab a cookie sheet to bake the pizza on. "Whatever you say."

"Geez!" Matt shouted, recoiling in horror as the red, sticky liquid filled the palm of his hand and the knife clattered to the floor.

Catherine immediately was at his side. She grabbed a clean towel and pressed it firmly against the wound."What did I just tell you? God," she sighed as Matt winced. "Are you alright?"

"I tried to catch it," he laughed weakly.

"Well, don't next time," Catherine chuckled softly. "Come on, we need to clean the cut." She led him into the bathroom, still holding the towel to his hand. "This might sting a little bit," she said as she began to treat his wound.

"Dang it," Matt muttered. "It's pretty deep, isn't it?"

"Yeah. You'll need stitches. I'll call Jack as soon as I'm finished."

"It's not that deep," Matt insisted.

"Yes, it is, Babe," Catherine sighed.

"I'm fine, really!" Matt laughed, waving his bloodied hand.

She grabbed his hand gently and ran it under cold water. "Matt, it's deep. You're going to need stitches, I'm certain."

"I've suffered through worse."

"I'm going to call Jack."

"You don't have to!"

"Baby, I do have to. It's your health we're talking about," Cath sighed.

"Do you think Josh is alright?"

"I'm sure he's fine," Catherine said, pressing a fresh towel against Matt's hand. "Go sit down and keep steady pressure on it. I'll call Jack now."

"Only because I love you," Matt said, complying begrudgingly.

"I love you too," Catherine smiled as she dialed the doctor's number. "Hey Jack. Are you done with Josh?"

"Hi, Cath. Yes, Josh is fine. What can I do for you?"

"Matt cut himself. Could you come to my apartment with your suture supplies?"

"Sure." Jack was at the apartment in fifteen minutes. He quickly examined the cut on Matt's hand.

"Does he need stitches?" Catherine asked worriedly.

"I'd have to see," Jack said honestly, "if I can get access to the supplies without too much questioning. We were fortunate when he had the flu. I had another patient I had to visit."

Catherine nodded. "Alright."

"Keep pressure on it," Jack sighed before leaving.

"Okay," Catherine replied, pressing a clean towel to the cut.

"Doctors," Matt snarled. "Overdramatic sissies."

"He's not overdramatic," Catherine sighed. "You are."

"I'm fine!" Matt exclaimed.

"Babe, you're still bleeding. If you were fine, you wouldn't still be bleeding."

"Blood is the body's way of healing," Matt insisted.

Catherine rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah, bleeding out's so healthy."

"Yep," Matt grinned, popping the p

Cath rested her head on his shoulder. "Sorry for snapping. I'm just worried about you."

"It's alright," Matt chuckled. "If that was snapping, you've been practically screaming at Mari these past few weeks."

Catherine shrugged. "She's used to it. And she gives it right back, so don't worry."

"Hm," Matt hummed. "Just...just be careful. She's been having a rough time this month."

"I know," Catherine moaned. "I suck. I don't know how you put up with me."

"It's easy. I love you," Matt smiled.

"I love you too," Catherine beamed, kissing him gently.

—————

"We you able to get the needed supplies?" Catherine asked hurriedly.

"Most of them," Jack sighed. "And hopefully, I'll keep my job."

"Thank you so much, Jack," Catherine smiled.

—————

Josh gave a sigh of relief as soon as Jack left the room.

"Can I be honest?" Mari asked with a nervous laugh.

He nodded.

"I kind of like Isaac better. I had a foster father named Josh, so it was kinda weird crushing on you."

There it was again. Words that didn't quite compute as they flooded his mind.

Mariah? Like someone like him?

"You can call me Isaac then," Josh said in almost robotic response. "If you want."

"Alright," Mari smiled.

"I hope Matt's okay," Josh sighed with worry.

"Do you want me to call Catherine and ask?"

"If you want," Josh said softly

Mari called her friend and grimaced when she replied, "Matt cut himself and Jack has to give him stitches."

"Ouch," Mari winced. "How bad is it?"

"Well, it's deep," Cath replied. "That's about all I can tell you. He dropped a knife and tried to catch it."

Mari tried not to laugh. "That sounds like Matt."

"It's not funny," Catherine sighed. "He cut himself pretty badly."

"Oh," Mari said, her tone changing, "I'm sorry. Do you need me to pick you guys up anything?"

"No, that's alright," Catherine sighed, glancing nervously at Matt. "I gotta go. I'll call you later." She returned immediately to her boyfriend. "Have you ever gotten stitches before?"

"Yeah, when I was a kid," Matt nodded.

"And that time with Josh," Jack added.

"What happened?" Catherine laughed, sitting down next to Matt gently.

"No," he mouthed silently to Jack.

Jack grinned as he began to stitch Matt's hand. "These two dumbos got the bright idea of playing hide and seek on the scaffolding."

Catherine gave a laugh. "Why on earth would you do that?"

"Because we were bored," Matt grumbled.

"Sounds better than that time I fell off my roof," Catherine shrugged. "I never let Carlos hear the end of that one."

"Why am I not surprised?" Matt smirked as Jack began stitching his hand.

Catherine sat down and pulled down the back of her shirt collar, revealing a scar on the back of her shoulder. "Nine stitches," she said proudly.

Matt, against Jack's restraint, pulled up his pants leg. "Dog attack."

Catherine showed a scar on her right elbow. "Pushed into the school water fountain by a bully."

Matt grinned and showed a matching scar. "Shoved into a locker. Seventh grade."

"You were bullied too?"

"No, I was just a jerk and someone got around to showing me my place."

Cath nodded. "I wish I had the guts to do something like that back then."

"Bullies are just kids blinded by circumstance, or they're trying to compensate for their anger against the world," Matt sighed.

"While that is true, knowing it doesn't make it easier when you're on the receiving end," Catherine frowned. She lifted up the back of her shirt. "Surgery on my spine when I was six."

Matt frowned severely and Jack looked like he might have fainted then and there. "What is up with you people?!"

Catherine laughed. "You haven't even seen my burn scar."

"Yes, I have," Matt said softly.

"You haven't seen the whole thing. You only saw the small part that was on my back. It's much bigger."

Matt frowned more severely. "You didn't tell me that."

Cath shrugged. "It's not a big deal."

"You should be wearing cotton," Jack scolded.

Matt turned to her and nodded. "You should."

"So should you," Catherine smirked. "It's fine, really."

"Yes, but I'm different. This is for your wellbeing, Cath."

"Matt, don't worry. It's fine," she insisted. "I've been dealing with this for eleven years now. I appreciate your concern, but I promise that it's alright."

Matt sighed, it worried him. What if when she was pregnant something happened because of her actions now? What if something happened now? It drove him crazy.

"Alright, I'm wrapping that and I don't want you using it at all!" Jack ordered.

"I'll make sure he doesn't," Catherine nodded.

"What about piano?" Matt asked slowly.

"I can be your left hand for now," Catherine smiled. "If you try to play, you might rip out your stitches. Trust me, it hurts like heck."

"Hmph," Matt huffed.

"It's for your own good, Babe," Catherine said, kissing his cheek. "I don't want you to hurt yourself...again."

"If you can wear scratchy shirts, I can play my music," Matt frowned.

"This shirt isn't scratchy and you aren't playing piano. You can play in the right hand all you want, but no left hand work," Cath said sternly. "Once again, I can play in the left hand for you."

"How about a compromise? I won't play and you won't wear any horrid shirts."

"I will wear cotton tank tops under my shirts. Deal?"

"Deal."

—————

Josh had fallen asleep with ease and Mari couldn't help but watch. His brow was firmly knit into a frown and his breathing ragged and tired.

It was stupid, but she found herself talking aloud. "You know," she sighed, "no one's ever truly liked me. Not that I know of. I'll tell you a secret, Isaac Taylor. I've never been kissed either. I don't know why I'm telling you. It's not like you would care."

His breathing remained steady and Mari sank lower. "I'll get you another blanket," she smiled softly.