Fic: Need To Know, Kara, PG, no warnings

[lanalucy]

Thanks to newnumbertwo {hugs} for the beta!

First ficlet set in a modern-day alternate universe.

Kara was running late.  She did her best to be home on Tuesdays by seven, because if Ben was able to get to a phone or computer, that’s when he called her.  He’d missed the last two Tuesdays, and she was itching to see his face, make sure he was still in one piece.

This was her brother’s third deployment - the price of being good at his job, whatever it was.  He didn’t talk about it much.  She’d learned a long time ago that Ben told her what he could, and if he gave her a vague answer to a question, it meant he couldn’t talk about it - Need To Know, and she didn’t.  At least as far as the government was concerned.

She got her salad stuff thrown together, diced some chicken and nuked it, shook everything up so none of the lettuce would be naked, and grabbed a drink from the fridge.

Since Ben had been gone so often during the last two years, and since his salary paid for everything, at his insistence, she’d splurged and bought a large flat screen TV and a webcam and had them mounted on the wall in the living room.  The whole thing was connected to the internet, so all she had to do was turn it on, click the right thing on the screen, and wait.

~~~

She was chowing down on her salad, which probably tasted better than it should since she’d skipped lunch, when the TV lit up in front of her and she jumped. What the frak, Kara? Ben’s face was larger than life, as were the sling on his arm and the bruises on his face.  “What the frak happened to you?  Wait, don’t tell me.  You went grocery shopping and tried to steal the tomatoes an old lady had her eye on!”

“That’s it.  Exactly.  Woman was vicious.”  His grin looked like it hurt, but still, she was so glad to see his face.

“You think you’ll be able to come home any time before solstice?”

“I don’t know.  Maybe.  This campaign is going really well, and we’re ahead of schedule.  If you’re lucky, maybe I’ll be back in time for Homecoming.”

“Really?  That would be fantastic!”  He raised an eyebrow, and she added, “I know, I know.  Don’t count on it.  But Dillon’s varsity Pyramid’s got a winning streak going - they haven’t lost a match yet.  So Homecoming will be hoppin’ this year.  All the alumni will show up!”

“We’ll see.  What’s been going on?  How’s work?  You runnin’ the place yet?”

“Nah.  I like my uncorner office and my door with no glass.  I’ve been getting a lot more done with the Old Man on leave, though.  He talks a lot more than I thought he did, I guess.”  She laughed.

“How’s the love life?  Am I going to have a boyfriend to intimidate any time soon?”

Kara froze for a moment. Oh, gods.  Should I tell him?  I only just met him.  I don’t even know if I like him yet.  Ben had already caught on, though.  He was good at that.

“You’ve met someone.  Are you sleeping with him yet?”

“Gods, Ben, no!  I only just met him on Saturday at Kendra’s.  I’m not even sure I like him - he’s a bit of a stuffed shirt.”

“Then why are you smiling talking about him, Kara?  Something’s got your blood pumping.”

“I don’t know.  There’s something.  I just - I don’t know.  Besides, it’s not like we exchanged phone numbers.  Or even last names.  Just two people talking at a party.”

“Uh-huh,” he teased.  “So, next time I call, you’d better have more to tell me.  Call Kendra.  Find out who he is.”  His glance appeared to focus over her head and he nodded very slightly.  “I’m gonna have to go, Kara, baby.  I love you.”

“I love you, too, Ben.  I miss you.”  Her smile was wistful.  “I want you home.”

“I know.  Gotta see how the rest of this campaign goes.”  He gave her a mock-stern glare.  “And next time - at least a last name.  I gotta check him out, see if he’s good enough for my baby sister.”

She grinned.  “Yeah.  Like I’m gonna give you any ammunition at all.  No way, bro.”

Then Ben was rushing off.  “Hey.  Really gotta go.  Call you when I can!” and the connection disappeared.

She really should remember to get a screencap sometime, so she’d have something to look at other than that black screen.

~~~

The next day at work, something reminded her of Ben’s suggestions, and she had a heated debate with herself over whether she wanted to ask Kendra for the guy’s name.  Kendra would tease her for months about it.  But, gods.  She’d woken up with the image of his one unfettered laugh in her mind, and she’d already decided she wanted to get to know him better.  Since she was at work, she took the coward’s way out and sent Kendra an email.

Who was that guy I was talking to after dinner?  The one who looks like he never smiles, but when he does....? ...I melt into a puddle.  She didn't tell Kendra that part.

Several hours later, she had an answer and she rushed to the Old Man’s office. No way could I be so seriously unlucky. And yet, when she looked at the picture on his desk, she could see the man in the young boy’s features. I gotta talk to the Old Man.  He’s never gonna believe that after all the time he’s spent telling me about his great - single - son, I met him and liked him without even knowing who he was.  And why the frak doesn’t he have a more recent picture?!  Why the frak did he never show me a picture?!

She grabbed a couple of folders from his drawer just to keep up the pretense that she’d been in there for some research Well, technically, it wasresearch! and headed back to her office, shutting the door decisively behind her.

I have to come up with something to tell Ben, because I am not telling him this.

~~~

Further vignettes will be posted to AO3, since they'll be written as they spark my muse, rather than in chronological order (the order will be fixed on AO3.).
It's Just Coffee
http://archiveofourown.org/works/925579/chapters/1804452

Meet the Siblings
http://archiveofourown.org/works/925579/chapters/1799100

Comments

[newnumbertwo.livejournal.com]

You know how much I love this 'verse. Happy Kara with a loving older brother=best thing ever. (The only thing that could be better is if Laura becomes her stepmother in law. LOL)

[lanalucy]

Well, we haven't met Bill yet. We don't know why he's on leave, or anything about his personal life. Ya never know. lol

[koolaidmom11.livejournal.com]

oh i just read all 3 of these and i love, love, love them...keep em up

[lucywritesfic.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm having a lot of fun with these.

I've added a new one.

[lucywritesfic.livejournal.com]

Reunion
http://archiveofourown.org/works/925579/chapters/1823340