Jackson is a teacher. He didn't have anywhere to be the next morning, so he passed out on the sofa.

Katherine couldn't sleep. She would close her eyes, but her mind would wander. Then she would turn, and her mind wandered still.

She was thinking about Grace, mostly. How unfair this summer has been to her, too. Her only son was brutally murdered, and then her daughter-in-law ran off. 

Maybe Katherine was just eager to call her and that's why she couldn't sleep. Or maybe it's something Jack said. How Russell quit baseball. Katherine can't find any trace of it in this house. Just his dog-like dedication to watch every Rockies game he can.

And then she started thinking about Sophia, how horribly things were left between them. Katherine can't find enough in her to forgive her just yet. She can hardly remember what for, her memory is so holey.

She sits up on her bed with a sigh, crosses her legs, and stares at the draped window. It's a full moon tonight. 

Katherine pushes herself up from the bed and fishes around for a pair of shorts to put on before she walks out into the kitchen. Jackson is snoring on the sofa, one arm thrown over his face, one foot sticking out from underneath the blankets. 

It's freezing in here.

Katherine pads back into her room for a hoodie, shivering the whole way and then back. She isn't sure what she's looking for, but some water might do her well enough. Beer is the weak shit, so she might as well have been sober the entire party.

She should be tired after the emotionally tumultuous day she had. Like a rollercoaster. 

And then that weight is back, heavy on her chest, and she leans against the counter, listening to Jack snore. 

She's half-tempted to sneak into Russell's room for that peach cobbler he hid from the party guests. His friends. Gosh, he had so many of them here tonight. 

You should get back on the road. Find Sam. Find the fuckers who did this to Charlie. Who did this to you.

But then what?

Grief punches a hole in Katherine's chest again. She grips the countertop, knuckles white, as tears fill her eyes and she stifles a sob. No, no, no, you're fine.

A low moan comes from Russell's room. She sniffs and wipes her eyes. She hasn't known him to be a noisy sleeper...then again, she was drunk most of the time, like he said, and she doesn't know his sleeping patterns all that well. 

Then there's something like a cough...or a sob.

Katherine stands up straight and moves for Russell's door. She hears the noise again. Definitely a sob.

She opens the door, the light from above the oven hardly any help. Russell's breath catches, and she closes the door.

"Russell?" Katherine murmurs, carefully padding over to the bed. "Russ."

He's crying. Actively.

"Hey." She turns the lamp on. He's on his stomach, almost on his knees, curled up in agony. His face is red and hair disheveled, fists balled up. "Russell." She sits on the edge of the bed and touches his shoulder. That snaps him out of it, mostly. He's still sniffly, but his eyes are open and he's looking at her with furrowed brows.

"Hey," he croaks, pushing himself up onto his elbows. "What's wrong?"

Katherine's big blue eyes rake over him, eyebrows furrowed. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." He sits up with a heavy sigh, face in his hands, before they rake through his hair. "Did I wake you up?"

"No." Katherine looks over him with a frown. Stubble, sun-bleached copper brown hair. Circles under his eyes. Tanned skin, all scratched up from whatever he does for work, mostly on his arms. She nods to them. "That fence bite your arms, too?"

Russell sniffs and extends his arms to look them over. "Naw, 's just from trees an bushes an stuff." He sniffs again and rubs his nose. "Sorry."

"You..." Katherine chuckles. "You don't have anything to apologize for." Her hand runs along his arm, up to his shoulder. His chest shudders with a suppressed sob. The weight on her chest is somewhat lighter. Still there. "Jack told me something tonight."

Russell's eyes flash with uncertainty. "What?"

"He said he has a video of you singing a variety of songs in the locker room, specifically No Scrubs and I Want it That Way."

Russell cracks a smile and rubs his face. "I'm gonna kill 'im."

Katherine turns and leans against the headboard with a sigh, crossing her ankles. She holds a fake microphone in her hand and starts to quietly sing. "Tell me why—ain't nothin but a—" Russell grins and shoves her shoulder. She giggles. "Tell me why!"

"Oh, God," Russell chuckles. Katherine smiles and shoves her hands into her hoodie's pockets. 

"You want some water?"

Russell looks to his night stand and nods. "Sure." She passes him her glass, and he downs half of it. "Sorry. Thanks."

Katherine wiggles her feet and looks at him. She doesn't know what she's waiting for. He'd hang out with her, though, if she were to have a nightmare. He wouldn't leave, actually. 

She stands up and throws her hoodie onto the floor before opening up the comforter. 

"What..."

"Sssshut up," Katherine mutters. She turns the light off, suddenly feeling shy and uncertain as she slides into the bed. Pushing that aside, she sidles up right to him and wraps her arm around his.

Sleep came a little easier for the both of them.