Until Then || K.C. & Brett

El Froyo Loco

"Are you K.C.?"

K.C. turned away from her froyo cup to answer. "Uh, yeah?"

"There's a phone call for you." His employee name tag read "Dante."

"O-kay???" K.C. pulled her cell phone from her pocket to see if whoever was using El Froyo Loco's number had tried to reach her directly as she followed Dante behind the counter.

"Huh. No missed calls," she muttered.

"What was that?" Dante looked at her intently.

"Nothing. Who did you say was calling me?"

"I didn't say." K.C. raised an eyebrow. 

"And neither did the person on the phone. He just said if there was a pretty girl who ordered the cake batter flavor, ask for K.C." 

K.C.'s guard went up about 12 notches.

"Look, customers aren't usually allowed to use the phones back here," he said holding open an office door for her to enter. "This area is for employees only." 

He looked her up and down and K.C. realized he was attempting to flirt with her. "If anyone asks, the girl with the bow in her hair said it was ok for you to be back here."

There were thousands of restaurants with phones in this city, not to mention her own cell with 911 on speed dial. If he thought she owed him something by letting her use the restaurant's landline K.C. had a few thoughts on how to set him straight.

"Thanks," K.C. said, taking in the small employee area as Dante returned to the counter. She noted a window, an air conditioning vent and a random pvc pipe she could use as a weapon if it turned out that there was no one on the other end of the line. 

She stayed within arm's reach of the pipe and answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey, babe."

K.C.'s eyes widened.

"Brett."

"In the flesh. Kind of. Ok, not at all actually."

K.C. was speechless. She thought it would be months before she heard from him again and she never expected a phone call. It was too risky. The phone line could be tapped, or the call traced. If The Other Side found out he knew who she was and her location they would both be in serious danger.

"Are you doing that not talking thing again? And did I mention I like it when you don't shut up?"

K.C. rolled her eyes.

"Ok, you hate me. I get it. I just... I really needed to talk to you. And don't worry, I took precautions. If someone does try to trace this call it'll look like I was trying to contact my dad. All other traces of the call should be erased when we hang up."

K.C. tried to think of something to say. She had really missed him in the two weeks since he'd helped her escape from the roof and hearing his voice reminded her of that. It also brought back the thought she'd wrestled with off and on since her first night back home, far from the reach of The Other Side: he almost came with her.

He could have come with her.

"Explaining yourself is probably a good idea."

"It's my dad, K.C. You have to understand, he's had this vendetta my entire life. He's been so focused on getting his revenge on your family that the only relationship I've had with him, the only way I feel like I really fit into his life is my role helping him fulfill his master plan."

"Sure, he's gone now, but he'll be back eventually. And when he does return, I'd like to be where he can find me. I want to know once and for all whether he cares about me as his son."

K.C. let out the breath she didn't know she was holding. "I understand. Your relationship with your dad is most important. I really hope for your sake that you can work things out with him one day. I just thought you were scared to be good after all those years with The Other Side." 

K.C. pulled the phone cord a little tighter. "I also thought that maybe I wasn't important enough to you for you to leave-"

"Babe, stop. That's not it at all. I DID consider going with you. And I don't like feeling like I'm always tricking you."

"Um, you ARE," she half-shouted.

"Listen, don't be mad because I outwitted you. You blackmailed me first, remember?" He raised his voice to rival hers.

"Blackmail? How is me saying I wont leave without you blackmail?"

"Threatening someone I care about? Backing me into a corner like that? What was I supposed to do? For the hundredth time, I need you alive."

K.C. wished then more than anything that they were having this conversation in the same room.

Brett lowered his voice again when she didn't reply. "I probably wont be contacting you again. If I keep doing this it'll raise eyebrows."

"Yeah, I get it." Her voice was softer too.

"I considered writing you a letter... I just really wanted to explain."

"I'm glad you did."

"Me too."

"Me three."

It was Brett's turn to roll his eyes. "You're always so corny." 

"You like it," she teased. "Keep corny alive."

"Oh, I plan to."

She bit her lip. "Bye, Brett."

Brett sighed. It felt like the shortest conversation of his life. Too short.

"Bye, K.C. Stay safe."