Did We All Fall Down?

*Katie's POV*

"Okay, well, pasta at midnight. I mean, I'll just wake up, craving pasta like mad. I had to go and buy like ten boxes of it, to keep it in stock."

"What else?" I asked, eager to hear my sister talk about something that seemed to lighten her mood.

"I can't stand any type of ice cream except mint chocolate chip. And I used to hate it with a passion." she laughed.

"I never understood that. I remember you didn't like mint chocolate chip and it just amazed me 'cause it's so damn good." I said playfully. Lavender smiled, a beautiful smile that lit up her entire face.

"Oh, God, I'm craving it now! The power of suggestion, right?" she giggled, getting up and going into the kitchen. She came back a few seconds later with a quart of ice cream and two spoons. My eyes widened slightly.

"Damn, girl. That baby's got one hell of an appetite!" She nodded and handed me a spoon.

"Okay, I've got a really lame idea..." I said tentatively.

"Spill."

"With each spoonful we eat we tell each other something about ourselves so we can actually get to know each other. I mean, we're sisters and yet we're more like really casual friends."

"True. Yeah, let's do it. You go first." she smiled again.

I ate a spoonful of the ice cream. "Okay, when I was fifteen I smoked a joint."

"A joint? That's our Katie, bad to the bone!" she said sarcastically.

"Wait, you knew?" I asked, shocked.

"Katie, our parents knew. But they realized how guilty you felt and they figured that was punishment enough. Although they did start keeping a closer eye on you."

"Oh, God!" I laughed.

Lavender took a bite, "I've always secretly wanted to strangle Mom when she would talk about us 'girls' finding proper husbands. Her ideals were just so archaic. She acted like a Stepford Wife sometimes."

I laughed and nodded in agreement as I took another bite. "Umm, when I was ten I wanted to grow up to be a circus ringmaster." Lavender snorted with laughter as she took another bite.

"Hey, come on, you've gotta admit, it would've been cool!" I defended my childhood fantasy.

We went on like that for an hour, by which time we were both so stuffed with mint chocolate chip ice cream we were ready to explode.

"Oh, I think I'm gonna die," I groaned.

"Right there with ya, but it was fun." Lavender yawned. I smiled and nodded, realizing how glad I was to have decided to pay my sister a visit.

*Gerard's POV*

I wanted to give Lavender a call. Talk to her, see how she was doing. But she was proud, I knew if I called her right away she'd just think I was pitying her. Acting like I cared from a sense of obligation, which wasn't the case. I had talked to Frank about it, wanting to make sure it was alright with him. He had been so supportive. But I could tell he was worried, maybe even a bit jealous. I would have to tread carefully. I didn't want to jeopardize all that I had with Frank. I loved him so much. But I still cared about Lavender as a friend. I had to make sure that was clear to everyone.

And in the meantime, it was less than two months before the trial. I was filled with dread but also a great desire for revenge. John needed to pay.