Lunch with Dad

[agirllost]

It's their first time out in public together in years - and standing outside the hot dog stand she can't help but worry.

She has things to tell him that he has to hear and she couldn't say any of them over a phone.

A few moments later, she spots him walking toward her.

Comments

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

"No, she'll just be able to hang around the bar for God knows how long." He sighs. "Sorry, sweetheart, I know you were probably looking forward to just being able to talk today."

[agirllost]

"She can't be worse than Ramon," she points out. Although that's like saying one type of cancer can't be as bad as another.

And she gives him a weak smile as she rests her elbow on the table. "Yeah, but my news wasn't exactly great, either."

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, but this didn't exactly help. How're you and Chase doing? What does he think about you going back to CTU?" he asks, swirling his drink for something to do with his hands.

[agirllost]

Her smile's a little more natural, "We're good," she says, and it's almost the truth. Chase is coming to terms with the whole 'Behrooz is bonded to me and probably knows when we're having sex' news.

"We've been talking about it and he wants to go back too."

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

"Chase is going back to CTU? Is he going into field work?" Jack asks, surprised. A few years ago, Kim hadn't been thrilled about the thought of helping Chase raise Angie while he was doing field work.

[agirllost]

She shakes her head, "I think he wants a desk job, one that keeps him out of the line of fire." Of course, in their world, that's no guarantee.

"He's kind of miserable at the job now. I think he was almost relieved when I brought up CTU."

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

"He did mention that, years ago." Before that little thing of...Jack chopping off his hand with an axe. "And I know that he hasn't been happy working in the private sector."

Of course he's still not comfortable with the thought of someone else he cares about going back to CTU, but it's not like he has much of a choice, here.

[agirllost]

"He told me that too, which is why he went to the private sector in the first place but..."

And she saw him broken and barely breathing and that had nothing to do with CTU.

"If we're all in danger anyway, why stop yourself from trying to make a difference?"

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," he says, softly, looking out at the ocean. Of course there's being in as much danger as anyone else in L.A. and going looking for it. Not that he has much room to talk there.

It seems kind of weird to see half the people he knows going back to CTU, when for a while it seemed like he was the only one who wasn't trying to get away from it. Before he got fired, at least.

[agirllost]

Kim watches him for a few moments, knowing that his worries aren't entirely unfounded. At least she hasn't made him feel worse about his own job restrictions.

"We're all going to be okay, Dad." She places her hand over his, trying to remind him that he's not alone.

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

"I know. At least if anything's going to happen in L.A., you'll be in the one place that'll know about it beforehand," he says, looking back at her. He's not sure who he's trying to convince more--her or himself.

[agirllost]

"Right and if something is going to happen...at least I can make sure the people I love are safe," she says softly.

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

"Yeah. And I promise, if I get a phone call from you that something bad's about to happen, I'll listen. I can't promise I'll leave the city, or anything like that..."

[agirllost]

"Oh, I have ways to make you leave," she smiles slightly.

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

"Well it would have to involve you drugging me to the gills or otherwise getting me unconscious," he says with a ghost of a smile.

[agirllost]

She glances away, not wanting to think about him being drugged or unconscious.

"No, it would involve lifting you and carrying you with flows of air."

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

"You do realize I'd be kicking and screaming the entire way, right?"

[agirllost]

"Wouldn't bother me, I'd wear an iPod," she tries to say without showing how much the thought of his reaction actually gets to her.

"I could always have Chris keep an eye on you."

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

"If anything was going on in L.A. I think she'd be kind of busy, sweetheart."

[agirllost]

"Yeah, but she's the only person I can think of who might actually succeed at keeping you from offering to help."

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

"Kind of hard for her to do that when she's preoccupied with issues of national security. Besides she's my significant other, not my babysitter."

[agirllost]

"Well, hopefully, there will never be a reason to put that plan into action." She says calmly but although it shouldn't be hearing Chris referred to as his significant other is a little weird.

"Are you guys still coming to dinner on Saturday?"

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

"As far as I know at this point, yeah," he says, nodding. "Of course with CTU you never know, but we intend to be there."

[agirllost]

"So that's a tentative barring a national emergency yes?"

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

He gives her a wry smile. "Yes. And only in this family would we have that kind of caveat with family get-togethers."