Things haven't been the best for Caty since the night her father was killed. For a week straight she couldn't bring herself to patrol the streets. She was too racked with guilt. She skipped school that week as well. She just needed to be alone and couldn't even talk to Liz about it either. It was just all too much. She returned to crimefighting after the week was over. Her father was right. She still had a responsibility to protect people no matter how she was feeling or no matter how badly she messed up. She killed someone. A murderer, but she still killed him and that wasn't her decision to make. She decided that she was going to save as many lives as she could to make up for the one that she took. She doubted it'd ever be enough, but she'd feel better knowing that she did all she could to prevent someone from dying or getting hurt.

Things between Liz and her got better after that week of ghosting. She was really the only one she could talk to and know that she wouldn't judge her. She still hung out with Gwen, but not as much as before. She felt so guilty about what she did and she wasn't sure she could ever tell her. She wouldn't want her keeping that secret from her dad even if she might have understood that Caty didn't intentionally do it, no matter how she felt in the moment. Maybe Caty was just trying to convince herself of the story she decided on that night. That whole night ruined her life. She and Danny weren't best friends anymore, their dad was dead, she killed someone and she blamed her brother for all of it. Though it wasn't fair to blame her actions on him. She should have controlled herself, but now she knew not to let her emotions get the best of her while trying to bring about justice. She wouldn't allow herself to lose who she was at her core in pursuit of saving people and fighting crime.

Once they finished the school year their mother announced a family vacation. Maybe that's what she needed, what they all needed, but she still couldn't really be around them. But she'd at least try for her mom.

[color=E137E3]"I'll try. It's just not the same without dad. He loved Disney."[/color]

[color=ffccff]"Do or do not, there is no try."[/color] Denise said with a smile. [color=ffccff]"Come on, it's your birthday. You're sixteen. Your father wouldn't want you two to be like this. You're his Wonder Twins. Our little miracles. Here's a deal. You can do what you want now, but tonight we're having a birthday dinner and tomorrow when you go to Disneyland please spend time with each other and have fun."[/color]

[color=E137E3]"Alright, deal. I'm going to the pool."[/color] Caty grabbed her bathing suit and cover up from her suitcase and headed to the bathroom to put them on. She had gotten used to changing her clothes quickly ever since becoming Spider-Woman. She looked at Jumper, who had been her emotional support spider throughout all of this, and was genuinely surprised he snuck on this trip with her. The little guy just would not leave her side ever since she started feeling like this. She walked out with him on her shoulder and headed to the pool.

[hr]

Caty was sitting poolside lost in thought, staring at at her reflection in the water.

[color=ffec80]"You're not getting in?"[/color] A young girl around her age asked.

[color=E137E3]"Huh?"[/color] Caty asked finally snapping back to reality.

[color=ffec80]"You've been staring at the water for like... five minutes. You okay? Can't swim?"[/color]

[color=E137E3]"I can swim, but I'm not really okay. It's my brother and I's sixteenth birthday, but it's also our first one without our dad. Our mom brought us out here to go to Disneyland hoping it'd make us feel better."[/color]

[color=ffec80]"Not working, huh?"[/color]

[color=E137E3]"No... I miss him so much. He [i]really[/i] knew me. He was the best and I just feel like I'm failing at making him proud."[/color]

[color=ffec80]"Woah, none of that. First, Happy Birthday! Second, your dad sounds awesome and because he's awesome there's no way you can fail at making him proud. He loves you, no matter what and just wants you to be happy. Grief sucks and you can feel it, but don't let it consume you."[/color]

[color=E137E3]"Thank you..."[/color] Caty said with a sniffle. [color=E137E3]"You're pretty wise random girl in pool."[/color]

[color=ffec80]"Karolina Dean."[/color] She reached out her hand to shake Caty's and she accepted before letting go. [color=ffec80]"My parents and their friends are here for a conference so they brought us kids along to go to Disneyland so maybe we'll see you and your brother there tomorrow."[/color]

[color=E137E3]"Catherine Davis, but everyone calls me Caty. But us and we?"[/color] Caty looked around to see that only she and Carolina were there.

[color=ffec80]"Wow. We're both KD. That's pretty awesome. And oh, the others are kind of antisocial. Except Chase, but he's probably somewhere getting into trouble, which is why they want us at Disneyland instead of the Hotel."[/color]

[color=E137E3]"CD, actually, but close enough."[/color] Caty appreciated the conversation. She didn't know why, but it felt so easy talking to Carolina. Almost as easy it was talking to Liz. The two continued to talk and for the first time in a long time Caty even managed to laugh.