OOM: Emergency Situation

[agirllost]

Kim is on the verge of tears by the time she finally hears ringing on the other end.

Angela's sitting quietly now, curled up against her, and Kim has warded the house, not that she thinks anyone will try to break in, but she won't take the chance.

All she gets is her dad's voice mail and it's a struggle to keep her voice even and try not to frighten Angie who wasn't worried before but is starting to pick up on her mom's emotions. "I- it's me, I just wanted to see how - if you were - " she breathes in and out, rubbing Angie's shoulder. She can't say she wanted to see if he was still alive. "Call me if - when you get this - I hope you're all okay." She hangs up before her voice goes completely and turns to kiss Angie's forehead.

"Are you hungry?" She asks, grateful that they remembered to re-stock the earthquake closet.

Angie nods and preparing food gives Kim something to do other than worry and try every number she can find to reach Chris, her dad or CTU which has enough to worry about right now without her tying up the lines.

Thousands of people are dead and her world's narrowed down to a handful.

Comments

[agirllost]

"I love you too," she says again and presses end on the phone, rubbing her eyes and taking a breath before picking up the phone again. Through the conversation with Carol she manages not to frighten Angie, but Aunt Carol points out that she's far away and if she's needed at work, it's not practical. She does remind her that she loves her and hopes to see her soon.

Kim ends the call and looks over at Angie. "Angie, I have to...go somewhere, I'll be back and I'll talk to you as much as possible," she says, kneeling in front of her. "How do you feel about Aunt Miriam's?"

Angie seems to like this idea better, especially since Aunt Miriam has been showing her how to cook. Kim wanted her as far away from LA as possible, but at the same time, there's no guarantee that she'll be safe anywhere and if something horrible was going to happen again, at least Kim could get there quickly..

She talks to Miriam, who tells her that she's alone in the house and Christopher's been called into an emergency meeting at work. The news doesn't make Kim feel very good about the arrangement, but if she can work to stop another bomb from going off - if there *is* another bomb - she has no choice.

Soon, she and Angie are leaving the basement and going upstairs to pack a few things to take to Miriam's.

Driving just to Miriam's is a nightmare, Kim can't imagine what it's like driving out of the city.

They hug for a few moments at the door.

"I wish Christopher was here," Miriam admits, her eyes red rimmed and she's holding a tissue in her hand.

"He'll be back soon," Kim whispers, thinking of all the people that were lost earlier - the face she's seen in photographs foremost in her mind. She wishes she went over to see her, that she met her even one time.

"Go," Miriam tells her, her free hand resting gently against Kim's arm. "If anything happens...I know where we keep the weapons."

She hates herself just a little for that making her feel better about the situation.

"Thank you," she says honestly, looking up at the woman who has been almost a grandmother to her.

Miriam strokes Angie's hair as the little girl clings to her leg.

"Christopher considered your dad like a son," Miriam says seriously, "I'll be there for you whenever I can."

Kim nods and leans forward to kiss her cheek. "I know, but thank you."

She hugs Angie goodbye, kissing the top of her head, and makes her promise not to eat ice cream before dinner.

It's easier than trying to make her promise that she won't go away.

"I love you, Angie girl," she says, letting go.

"I love you too, Mommy," Angie says in return, starting to look a little worried.

Kim leaves before she changes her mind, grabs Angie, and tries to get as far from LA as possible.