Second read-through with Jared

Jared began, this time more intently. "Laura. Laura, it's time we talked. Don't you --"

"What do we have to talk about?" Katie was more urgent this time. "Haven't we said all there is to say?"

"You don't know what's in my mind, Laura." Jared took two steps toward Katie, his voice getting more hushed.

"But I --" Katie sounded a little scared.

Jared stepped toward her again, and Katie backed up a little. "You don't know why I came back to Missouri."

Greg stopped them. "This is good, but Katie, I don't think you can back up."

"I was afraid of him. Afraid he might grab me or something."

"Accept the fear. If he grabs you, he grabs you, but you'd rather be with him and be afraid than run."

Katie nodded. "Okay, I understand."

Jared started from the top again. "Laura. Laura, it's time we talked. Don't you --"

"What do we have to talk about? Haven't we said all there is to say?"

Jared moved toward Katie, staring at her intently. "You don't know what's in my mind, Laura." He kept moving, and Katie just stood there, frozen.

"But I --"

"You don't know why I came back to Missouri." Jared was face to face with Katie. He was nearly a foot taller than she was, and he glared down at her. Katie had to crane her neck to look up at Jared.

Greg whispered, "don't look at him."

Katie took her gaze down. Jared repeated his line. "You don't know why I came back to Missouri." Katie was silent. Jared's breath got heavy. He leaned in to Katie, nearly falling on her shoulder.

Katie spoke slowly. "No, but --"

Jared nearly collapsed. "You don't know what I've been through ..." He rested the weight of his upper body against hers. Katie held him up, and touched his face with her hands. She looked up at him. "... and what could make this house, this whole place ... complete again."

Katie ran her fingers through Jared's hair. "Kyle." She touched his chest, almost intimately. "I haven't seen you since we were teenagers." Jared looked down at her, almost as if seeing her for the first time.