Going Home

AN: This one shot is written from Kelly's point of view.

A wise man once said that you can't run away from your problems. He was right, it was time that I returned home after six years of being away.

"What's Llanview like?" Josephine, my sweet six year old daughter asked.

"It's a small town where you will meet many new friends," I stated as I tried to sound optimistic.

I hadn't been home since Joey passed away. At the time I left because I needed to escape to a place where every corner didn't remind me of him and all that I had lost.

I wanted little Josephine to know her father and I knew that it was time I stopped running and went home again.

"Kelly...oh my god Kelly...you're home," my aunt Dorian gushed as she pulled me into a crushing hug that left me literally speechless.

"Who's this young lady?" Dorian asked as her eyes shifted to my daughter.

"Dorian, I would like you to meet my daughter Joey," I stated.

"This couldn't possibly be my great niece. You are much too big and the last time I saw you...you were a just a little baby," Dorian gushed.

"I'm sorry that I haven't been home in so long..."

"You're home now and that's all that matters,"Dorian stated. "So what are your plans for the day?" Dorian asked.

"I thought that I would take Josephine to the cemetery to visit Joey. It's his birthday after all," Kelly stated.

"Yes, I think that would be wonderful," Dorian stated.

"I'll be back later tonight and we'll catch up," I stated as I grabbed Josephine's hand and headed out the door.

When I got to the cemetery...I saw Kevin visiting his brother and I couldn't help but think about our last minutes together as our eyes locked.

I was packing my car of anything that I could carry as the rain drenched me and all of my belongings when he showed up.

"Where do you think you're going?" Kevin asked.

"I don't know...it doesn't really matter as long as I'm not here. It hurts too dam much Kevin. Joey's dead because of me...because of us. If he wouldn't have walked in on us together then he wouldn't have gotten plastered and drove his car into a tree."

"You don't know that Kelly. I'm sorry that we hurt Joey and I'm grieving for him too damnit, but we can't blame ourselves for his actions. At the end of the day he was the one who chose to deal with his pain by drinking. He was the one who got in his car and drove away without thinking about who he could hurt. I loved my brother, but I love you too and I don't want to lose you."

"I...I can't stay here anymore when all I see is him and all I think about is how my love for you cheated me out of a life with the man that I was supposed to love and be faithful to."

"Please don't go Kelly," Kevin pleaded as he kissed me. I let myself get caught up in the moment for a minute or too and then I remembered the shattered look on Joey's face when he found me in bed with his brother. "I...I can't love you not anymore," I stated as I stepped away from him. "Goodbye Kevin," I stated as I climbed in my car and drove away from him and away from the painful memories that Llanview had to offer.

As I stared at Kevin all the pain and all the guilt that I thought I had escaped came rushing back to me and all I wanted to do was hide, but I couldn't. It wouldn't be fair to any of us especially my little girl.

"Kelly, you're home," Kevin stated as his eyes went from me to little Joey. "She's beautiful Kell, she looks just like you, what's her name?" Kevin asked as his voice chocked with the emotion that we were both feeling.

"Her name's Josephine...Joey for short," I responded.

"You named her after her father?" Kevin asked.

"No, I named her after her uncle," I stated finally coming clean with the truth that I had been keeping from him for so long.

"I'm her father? Why didn't you tell me?" he asked.

"I...I couldn't, I was wrong and I'm sorry that I cheated you out of getting to know your daughter. I was afraid to love you after everything that loving you has cost us," I stated as I began to cry.

"We could have worked through Joey's death together if you would have just stayed home with me."

"I'm home now. Is it too late for us?" Kelly asked.

"I've never stopped loving you Kelly, but I honestly don't think that we can be together as long as you blame me for Joey's death."

"I don't blame you...it's taken me a long time, but you were right, his death was a tragic accident and I don't think that he would want us to blame ourselves," Kelly stated.

Josephine grabbed her mom's hand and put it in her father's hand and then she went and sat down on the grass.

"I think that Joey wants us to be together," Kevin stated as he leaned in to kiss me.

"I think you're right I stated as we kissed.