TITLE: Far Away From Close
AUTHOR: lj user"notyourexit"
CHARACTERS: Ensemble.
RATING: PGWORD COUNT: 2,458ish
SUMMARY: If the Walker family wasn't large enough, we introduce Kenzie, number six. After being away at school, what kind of secrets of her own does she have?
DISCLAIMER: Brothers & Sisters is definitely not my show.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This idea was floating around in my head since I saw the first episode. headsmack Of course something along these lines was going to occur coughRebeccacough. But, for the time being, this is what I'm toying with. I just, kept on going and going. Starting at episode 1x01. Even if this idea doesn't float your boat, I'd love some feedback.
"Hey, old man."
Tommy Walker turned on his heel. He recognized that voice, he knew it so well. He hadn't heard it in a while though. He could still hear the youth and innocence it captured with every word.
"For a second I thought you were my darling little sister Kenzie, but not only does she not smoke, she doesn't have blue hair.."
He watched as she dropped the cigarette from her hands, and stomped it under one of her yellow Converse sneakers. She looked up at him with a smile on her face.
"First of all, ignore that," she said, point to the freshly stepped on smoke, "Secondly, my hair is clearly still blonde and brown, with blue streaks. That's a big difference." She paused, and let her bag fall from her shoulder, "And lastly, when am I going to get a hug?"
Tommy laughed and walked over to his sister, wrapping his arms around her.
"There's your hug. Now take back that old man comment." he said as they began walking farther into the airport. He protectively rested his arm over his sister's shoulders. Luckily she wasn't too short, about 5'6. She had grown since the last time he had seen her, which, as he thought of it, would have been over a year and a half ago. She hadn't even come home for Christmas last year.
"Well, you are a man. And old." she said with a smirk, as they reached the luggage receiving area, "I am using it in context, Thomas."
"Well, Mackenzie, I know you. And that is not the context you are implying." She paused, and turned to face him directly. Tommy quickly looked at his sister. She really had grown up, as strange as that was. Here she stood, at the tender age of 17. She had thinned out, sprouted and she looked generally happy. Her green eyes were full of energy, and there was a wide smile on her face, showing off her straightened teeth.
"Well then, if you're not an old man, what are you?" she said, attempting to wiggle her eyebrows. She reached out for a moment, and grabbed her red suitcase off the conveyer belt.
"Obviously, I'm your brother." he said strongly, taking the suitcase from her and wheeling it behind him. She laughed as they headed away from the busy crowds, and reached the doors outside.
"But, Justin and Kevin are my brothers too. And you are the oldest one, it just suits you the best."
"Yes, but did Kevin or Justin come and pick you up today?" he asked rhetorically, "No, good ol' Tommy did." She paused in her tracks for a moment, in the middle of the parking lot. He turned and gave her a confused look.
"Justin always goes for rock."
"What are you talking about?"
She started moving again and they reached Tommy's car. She hopped into the front seat as she let her brother load her luggage into the back. It felt good to be back. She had been gone for almost two years now. Back then, it didn't seem like the best idea for her or from her parents perspective. To Nora Walker, sending her teenage daughter off to school in New York was 'impossible and never going to happen'. After begging and pleading, it happened. Kenzie guessed it was because of her dad; he knew how much his youngest daughter loved art, and how going to the specific boarding school like institute in New York would only further her artistic skills. She loved her dad at times like that. It was because she was his baby.
"I'm assuming it must have been down to a Rock, Paper, Scissors match between you, Kev and Justin. And Justin always picks rock first, and you and Kevin obviously picked scissors. Am I right?"
"Actually, as convincing as that seems, it didn't really occur that way." Tommy laughed as they drove away from the airport, "It was more like, Kevin was tired and I think he was going to pick up pizza, and Justin already picked up Kitty this morning, and he wasn't really suitable to be driving." He sighed.
"Ohhh." Kenzie nodded her head completely. She knew exactly what her brother was referring to. Without letting an awkward silence take over the rest of the ride, she struggled to find a topic.
"How's Julie?" she asked suddenly, thinking about her sister-in-law. As her brother talked, she traced her finger over the pattern she had drawn onto her jeans.
"She's good, school day though, she was off teaching the ABCs to first graders. Wait, what time did you leave this morning? You must have gotten zero amounts of sleep last night, how are you still awake right now?"
She laughed, and quickly dug into her bag, pulling out a pair of sunglasses. She rested them over her eyes, and leaned back in the chair, "Well, I am on New York time still, so it's really like, nine-ish for me." She paused, "I guess I really should be tired. Although, I think that is why God invented Starbucks."
In less than an hour, through the perils of traffic, they were finally back at the house.
"Did I mention the fact I sat beside this huge sweaty man in business class today? Seriously. Even three glasses of Coke, plus a spraying of my perfume, didn't take away the smell of that guy. Now, do you think it would be rude to go directly to my room and shower?"
"You just want to cover up the smell of smoke." Tommy said with a laugh, getting out of his car. She gave him a bit of a wink, and dashed into the house, letting him take her bag in.
--
"So where is number six?" Kitty asked her brother Tommy as she walked into the kitchen. After talking with Sarah, she needed a change of pace. She was so happy to be back home with her family, but it was hard to adjust to. Tommy leaned against the counter, his harm gently looped around Julie's back.
"She decided it would be easiest to shower first, then start absolutely fresh." he paused for a second, and glanced around the kitchen. Parent-free. "And although she may blame it on the sweaty man she sat next to on the plane, our littlest sister is showering out the smell of smoke."
"What? She's smoking? She's not allowed to smoke." Sarah exclaimed loudly, also entering the kitchen. Joe was in the other room with the kids, doing his best to rest them on the couch and put a movie on.
"Who's not allowed to smoke?" Kevin jumped in, walking into the kitchen. It was quite the meeting place for them. Everyone had finished dinner by now, and were slowly settling around the house. Well, the kitchen mostly.
"Kenzie." Kitty explained, leaning against one of the counters. Soon enough, as they talked, a bottle of wine was passed around. It was just something to pass the time. In at least ten minutes, all of the Walker siblings and their spouses, would be grilling their littlest sister. And truthfully, they couldn't wait.
--
And truthfully, Kenzie had gotten out of the shower within minutes. She just had to catch up with her mom. Growing up, her mother was her best friend. It wasn't her fault, she was just a late entry in the family. Justin was still living at home when she was growing up, but they were nine years apart. And he just did his job as a brother, full of teasing and ridiculing. Kevin was at home a lot too, and he was friendly, despite their 14 year age gap. Kitty was wonderful, and mainly happy to have a little sister to dress up. But being home often when she was 24, and her mother was handling a three year old, it felt more like babysitting or mothering. Tommy didn't contribute too much, but he was the only one who shared candy with his younger sister whenever he saw her. Kenzie was pretty sad about it, but Sarah and her weren't that close. It was probably the 23 years between them. Kenzie guessed most of the time Sarah felt like a mother to her, not a sister. Not that it was a problem, it was fun having two or three babysitters a night when you are five. But still, her mom was lovely.
"Oh sweetheart, I'm so glad to have you home again." Nora spoke, taking a seat on her bed. Laundry folding could wait. "You know it was hard for me to see you go, but.. it turned out to be the best for all of us." She leaned down and gave her youngest a kiss on the forehead. "Now go, you know everyone wants to talk to you." She smiled lightly, and watched her daughter hop out of the room, not before flashing a quick smile back at her mother.
Kenzie walked down the hallway. She knew she had to face all her loving siblings in the kitchen, and she couldn't wait to talk to them. She slowed down as she passed her dad's study. She'd only gotten a quick hug in before she made her mad dash to the shower.
She knocked quietly on the door to his office. She saw his face light up as he looked up at her, motioning for her to come in.
"Hey daddy," she said with a smile, taking a seat across from his desk.
"Oh Mackenzie, my baby, it makes me so happy to have you home again." he reached out his hands, and she stretched hers out to grasp his, "And I was waiting until someone in the family inherited my blue hair genes." She laughed at his lame joke, and she could see the warmth in his eyes. Sure, her dad was the same age as most of her friend's grandparents, but that didn't bother her. Her dad wasn't old, he was wise.
"You missed my red phase," she replied to him, stroking his hand.
"You know your brothers and sisters want to talk to you, dear. How about you go entertain them?"
"Actually, I need to talk to you about something," Perfect time for the phone to ring.
"I have to take this, we'll talk tomorrow, okay? Lunch? Come by the office." he gently kissed her hand, and let go of their embrace. The great thing about their dad's office was that his glass doors looked directly into the kitchen. She walked towards them and quickly turned for a moment, mouthing a simple "I love you" to her dad. She turned again, and opened the doors, to the wild and staring eyes of her loving brothers and sisters. Oh, this would be interesting.
"What? Was that an hour long shower?" Sarah called out first, reaching over to hug her sister. Before she could even get a word in, someone else was hugging her.
"Is your hair blue?" That was Kitty. Obviously, pointing out the obvious. "Last time I saw it, it was pink."
"Actually, it's more of a cerulean, in my opinion." Kevin's turn.
"That's not my KD." Kenzie had almost forgotten that small, almost never used nickname she had recieved from Justin. They had spent a lot of time together when she was younger, and that led to him realizing her middle name started with a D. Kenzie Darla. She broke from the last hug, and looked up into Justin's eyes. They didn't look very blood shot for once. She could smell the coffee on him.
After saying quick hellos to Joe and Julie, Kenzie talked again, "First of all, you all can't hate me for growing up. And second of all, you're new.." She glanced over at Fawn. "Are you in a commercial or something?"
"That's Fawn." Justin exclaimed, nodding his head rapidly. Kenzie gave her a sincere smile, and went over to stand with Kevin. He was leaning against the counter, and she leaned beside him. His arm shifted and resided behind her back. She felt at home again.
"Well, judging from your looks and this rather.. unusual silence, I assume.." she paused, and reached out her arm, pulling up her sleeve, "-Tommy told you all, and at least one of you want to put me on the patch or something."
"Told us what?" Justin asked, clearly out of the loop.
"Our innocent little sister has taken up a smoking habit." Sarah said with a smirk. It was as if Justin's face lit up with joy.
"Before you even make a remark, it's only cigarettes." Kenzie said strongly. She knew Justin might pry later. To him, having a little sister was like having a prodigy. Someone to teach all of his dirty little tricks to.
As the casual conversation continued on, Kenzie took a moment to take everything in. Everyone was grown up now. Truthfully, everyone but her had been grown up since she was ten. But that was beside the point. As the conversation came to an awkward lull, it seemed everyone wanted to say it.
"When was the last time all six of us were in the same room?"
"Better question, significant others aside, when was the last time just us six were ever in a room together?" Everyone stopped to think.
It was Sarah who finally spoke up, "Honestly, just us six? When you were a month old, and still in the hospital. Mom and Dad had gone for a walk to get coffee. And Justin couldn't sit still, so he was bouncing all around." She went on to describe the moment.
"Sure, pick the memory I don't remember." Kenzie said with a laugh. She ran her fingers through her hair. It was nearly dry now, and she suddenly felt deathly tired.
"Kid, aren't you on New York time still?" Joe spoke up, as he looked at his watch.
"Haha, yeah, sort of. I guess it doesn't help that I'm still a bit hungover fr-" She suddenly stopped talking. She was not in the mood for a 'you shouldn't drink' speech from the over thirty crowd drinking wine. She leaned up and gave Kevin a quick kiss on the cheek, and said goodnight to everyone else. She was back in her room, fallen onto her bed and staring at her 'Good Charlotte' posters in no time. And although she could hear her family arguing about something, (Kitty's politics? Sarah and Joe in counseling?) she was asleep almost instantly. It was something about being back in your own bed that sent you dreaming.