Disclaimer: Not mine

Notes: Once again, sorry the plot is moving so slow. Something will happen in the next part, I promise!

--

"And here are the eggs," Trip said as he placed the carton in Katie's buggy. "That was the last thing on your list, right?"

Katie checked just to be sure. "Yep. All we have to do now is check out." She was still surprised that her 'scheme' had worked: yes, it was grocery day, but on a whim she'd asked Trip if he wanted to come along... and he had agreed. It was just errand running, but it had gotten Trip out of his apartment for an hour, and that alone was worth celebrating.

She smiled at him as she steered the buggy to the nearest check out aisle. "So, what do you wanna get for dinner?"

"Well, I couldn't help but notice that the pizza place is doing a two for one sale today." Trip's tone was nothing but innocent as he fished for his wallet with his right hand and grabbed a couple of king size candy bars with his left.

Katie rolled her eyes as the check out lady began to ring up her purchases. "Fine, we'll get take out. Again." There were still a lot of things she didn't know about Trip, but one thing she had learned right away was that he lived off of junk food.

--

The pizza actually hadn't been a bad idea. They'd split the bill (so that it wouldn't put too much of a dent in either of their wallets), and after wandering around town in the middle of winter, it was nice to have a hot meal, even if it was the same hot meal for the third time that week.

"You sure you don't want anymore?" Trip stuffed another slice into his mouth even as he spoke.

Katie grinned sideways as she switched channels. "Trust me, I'm fine. My brother has a stomach every bit as bottomless as yours, so I'm used to it."

Trip blinked at her as he finished his slice. "You have a brother?"

"Yep-- younger brother, actually." She took out her wallet and picked out the photo they taken with their parent at last year's Thanksgiving, handing it to Trip.

He gave the photo a look over before giving it back. "I can see the family resemblance. So... how come I never heard of him before?" He scooted closer to her, grinning. "Now that I think about it, I really don't know much about the person who's trying to know more about me."

She... hadn't expected that from Trip, but she didn't mind it-- too much. "Well, let's see... I work at the bookstore and I go to college part time."

"What do you major in?"

"English, but I'm thinking about switching it to Creative Writing."

"You wanna write?" She'd never seen Trip's face light up like that before. "That's awesome! Can I see something you've written?"

"Well, I mean, I just started and I'm only going part time, and between that and work it's hard to--"

"Oh, okay." Trip seemed satisfied enough by that excuse as he turned his attention to the television for a moment before speaking again.

"So... what about your family?"

Trip was enjoying being the one asking questions for a change more than was absolutely necessary, but Katie obliged. "Well, for starters, they're back in Iowa."

"That far away?" Trip gave her a sympathetic look. "That must be rough."

"Yeah, but we try to keep in touch." Katie knew that she needed to say something a little more reassuring, like how she was used to it or didn't mind being cut off from her parents and brother, but she didn't feel like lying to him.

Trip smiled slightly. "I have to admit, I'm a little jealous."

"Why would you be jealous?"

"Well, my parents died when I was too young to really remember them well, so--"

Katie felt her gut twist. "Aw, geez... Trip, I didn't mean to go on like that about missing my family when you--"

He cut her off by placing a hand on her arm. "It's fine."

"Really?"

"Really." His smile became a bit wider. "I wouldn't have brought it up if it wasn't, right?"

She felt relief go though her... and more than a little homesickness. While it had been... nice, talking to Trip about her family, it also brought up the fact that she hadn't seen them since early December, and that with classes and work it would be long time until she could even hope to see any of them again...

Suddenly, Trip was leaning against her. "But I know how lonely you feel when you talk about them. Sorry for trying to make you talk about them."

I didn't say anything about that, so how did he...

But Trip was still talking, cutting off her train of thought. "I guess... I guess I just wanted to know more about you."

She felt herself grin as she grabbed him in an impromptu hug. "There's nothing wrong in wanting to know more about a friend-- and if there is, at least you're in good company, right?"

He managed a grin in return. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Katie tightened her hold on him. "Of course I am."

Trip grinned again as he pulled away. "I hate to say it, but I have to go now. If I don't fix that program by tomorrow, my boss will kill me." He was already halfway out the door when she grabbed him again.

The way he was looking at her she could tell he was startled, but she had to tell him now before she forgot or lost her nerve. "Listen, Trip... I do feel lonely without them-- a lot. But when I'm with you... it hurts a little less."

He was still smiling, but there was something different to it this time. "I'm glad I could help. So I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Count on it." She hugged him again, and without thinking about, kissed him briefly on the cheek before closing the door.