A/N1: I own nothing from the Home Improvement universe.
A/N2: This story is AU. Story starts between the first and second season.
It was a beautiful fall night in Michigan. Just the right temperature for a crackling fire, but not so cold that you couldn't go out. The perfect night to be on a date. Of course, Al Borland wasn't on a date. He was at the Taylor house, babysitting for the boys so that Tim and Jill could have a date night. Oh well, it wasn't like he had a date anyway. There were a few women he could call when he wanted a night out, or more, but none that he had serious feelings about and he hadn't been in the mood for a casual hook up lately. He had gone out with Greta a few times, but it was clear she didn't want a serious relationship. Besides, she was eleven years younger than him and still in college. They were in totally different places in life. Still, she was usually up for dinner and movie, a car show, or whatever. He, however, was not up for frat parties and rock concerts for bands he'd never even heard of. Then there was Andy who lived in his building and was always inviting him over for supper and leaving desserts in front of his door. He wasn't sure he wanted to open that can of worms again, though, because after their first date, she was pretty persistent that he should spend the night. Maybe it made him old fashioned, or even a prude, but he thought he should know more about a woman than her last name and that she like Chinese food before they slept together. She apparently didn't share his opinion, since when he first turned down her offer, she'd snapped that he should be thanking her for even wanting to sleep with him and implied that he and Tim were a little too close. Then she'd called and left 50 apologies on his machine and started leaving baked goods in front of his door when he was at work.
Other than that, there really wasn't any woman he could call more than just a good friend in his life. That was the way it had always been. He'd never been the guy who swept the girls off their feet. He was the guy that they complained about that guy to. He was the one who was asked to fix their sink, or invited to dinner, but was always turned down for a second or third date and he had just about accepted that it was his fate to stop looking for Mrs. Right and settle for the occasional Ms. Right-now.
This particular night, it was well after ten, the boys were all in bed, him having just sent Brad upstairs at the end of the Pistons game. Randy and Mark had gone upstairs to play Nintendo shortly after supper. When he had gone up to check on them, they were both sound asleep in front of their television.
He had straightened up from supper and cleared away his and Brad's snacks. Tim and Jill were supposed to be back around eleven thirty and he was looking forward to getting home. He was half dozing when the doorbell rang. He stumbled to the door with some concern. He didn't know anyone who would be just stopping by this time of night and Tim wouldn't ring the doorbell.
He went to the door and checked the side window. Recognizing the young woman he quickly opened the door. Tim's younger sister Kara was shivering on the doorstep.
"Oh!" She sounded surprised. "Is Tim home?"
"I'm babysitting," Al replied. "He will be home soon. Come in, come in. Come over by the fire."
She was dressed in just a thin t-shirt, a pair of short blue cut off sweats, and winter boots.
"You have to be freezing," he said, because while it wasn't extremely cold, it was too cold to be out without a jacket, especially if you were only half dressed to begin with. He grabbed Jill's throw blanket and wrapped it around her small shoulders.
"Thanks," she said. "Where's Tim?"
"He and Jill went to a charity auction," he said. "They'll be home soon. Here, let me make you some coffee."
"No, no, don't bother," she waved the offer away.
Al wasn't sure what to do. He known Kara for a few years but they weren't really friends, more like just acquaintances. He'd seen her around at birthday parties and the boys' events through the years. She was eight years younger than Tim and was engaged to a pharmaceutical rep who, in Al's opinion, and Tim's, and Jill's, was a total jerk. He could tell that she was upset and had been crying and that wasn't exactly an outfit one would wear for a quick trip in late fall in Detroit.
"Kara, are you alright?" he asked. "Can I do something?"
She shook her head and started to speak, but sobbed instead.
"Hey, hey, it can't be that bad," he said, stepping closer to her. After a rather awkward moment, not knowing what else to do, he hugged her gently.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she said.
"No, no, it's okay," he replied. He lead her over to the sofa. "Here sit down." Much to his surprise, she held on to him as they sat down. "Do you want to call Jack?"
He realized that was the wrong question as her sobs grew harder. "Do you want to talk about it?"
She shook her head.
"Okay, okay," he said, rubbing her back as she clung to his chest and sobbed against his shoulder.
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