What is Needed But Unexpected

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"Edward, can we talk for a second before the rest of the hoard gets home?" 

Jane asked as soon as her son got home, earning a sigh from the boy.

"Sure Mum but if this is about the tea towel I swear that wasn't me." 

Jane had to hide the chuckle, having overheard that whole conversation between Elizabeth and Edward a few days before.

"Don't worry, it's not ... It's about Katherine Howard." 

She answered as he came to sit beside her, allowing her to wrap her arms around him.

"What did she do?"

Jane allowed herself to laugh at that and shook her head.

"She didn't do anything but...Things may be a bit different between her and I now and she was really nervous about your reaction so I figured I should be the one who talked to you." 

When she was sure that she had his full attention she continued

"Katherine...Needs a family and I know we're all a family but everyone has their own smaller groups now, you and I have each other for example." She paused, gauging his reaction before she continued "Katherine chose us but she wanted to make sure it was okay with you first…So I want to know how you feel about having another sister?."

Jane wasn't sure what his reaction would be, after all, he was a nine year old boy. However she nearly laughed aloud as he retorted

"As long as she doesn't start bickering with my other two. That is all they did when Catherine A drove us to school this morning." 

Jane couldn't help the chuckle at the mental image of Aragon putting up with two bickering teenagers that early in the day.

"I can't make any promises on that because Kat can have her moments…. But I can assure you that her temper isn't near as explosive as either of those two when they get started." She responded, 

_____________★____________

Katherine was nervous about the whole situation. She knew she shouldn't be because this was what she wanted but she also cared about what others thought, especially Anne and Anna. She also knew she had to tell them because they would find out anyway. She also knew, however, that Anne had issues with Jane before and maybe wouldn't accept this and she hated the idea of losing her cousin—who sometimes acted more like a sister.

"Guys...I have something to tell you and please don't freak ...But I talked to Jane last night and she…" 

Anne threw an arm over her shoulders, grinning as she added

"Let me guess ...You finally asked her?" 

To say she was shocked was an understatement.

"Wait...What...How did you?" 

Katherine began, only to earn a chuckle from Anna.

"Sweetheart, you haven't really kept it that much of a secret that you looked up to Jane. I mean, come on...after you figure out she wouldn't hurt you, you basically followed her around like a duckling." 

She felt heat crawl into her face at that and turned to hide her face against Anne, who was laughing.

"I hate you so much right now." She grumbled, although Anna just ruffled her hair.

"Then you'll really hate Joan and Maria because they are going to have to pay up." Aragon retorted from where she was sitting on the bench across the table from them.

"You bet on me?" Katheirne exclaimed, now looking up at the three women who just chuckled.

"Sorry love but it was really hard not to realize...although it was Anne and I who noticed first." Aragon retorted playfully before adding in a more serious tone "don't be ashamed of it, kit. You deserve a chance at actually being a kid this time around, show and fame or not. You're a seventeen year old girl who needs a mother as well as her extended family." 

"I just have one question, when will you tell Cahty?" Anne asked before Katheirne could think of anything to say, only to make Katherine to glance away.

"I kinda talked to her about this before... she's really was to talk to and can keep secrets." Se confessed, earning a group of exclamations of faux betrayal in response.

"Well...I have to say, you are right about her being easy to talk to." Aragon was the first to agree, followed by Anna and then Anne.

"Still kinda ticked you didn't come talk to me but ...Yeah, she's the common sense of the lot of us." 

_____________★____________

"Hey mum."

The word still felt weird for Katherine to say to the woman. Especially since her mind was racing with questions. 

What if Jane changed her mind about letting her call her that?

What if Edward hated the idea?

What if she became too annoying or messed up too badly?

She half wanted to bolt but when she was met by a smile she relaxed and move in to put an arm around the woman— who was crocheting something that Katherine wasn't quite sure was turning out correctly.

"Hey, how did it go?" 

Jane responded, returning the gesture and drawing her closer to her side into a more of a sideways hug, putting her project to the side to turn her full attention to the conversation.

"Well besides the fact that everyone within our group of family and friends had a bet going about me? It went well." Katheirne paused then and pulled away before she asked "how did it go with Eddie?" 

Jane let out a small laugh then and shook her head.

"He had a condition for you to be his sister." 

Kathrine wasn't sure how to feel about that, although the look on Jane's face was full of amusement and it comforted her slightly.

"Oh Lord, what are they?" 

Jane  laughed as she retorted

"Just don't make a habit of fighting with his other two sisters. Evidently they drove Aragon and him crazy this morning."

Katherine felt her stomach unknot at those words and let out a giggle, recalling how Aragon had ranted to Anne until Anna had said that their daughters took too much after them.

"Don't worry, Mary and I reached an agreement. So hopefully no arguing."