Chapter 25

Carlos rubbed a hand over his face, trying to clear his bleary eyes. He could smell coffee from the kitchen and knew his mom wouldn't disappoint with breakfast. He moved to the front windows and glanced down the street. It was quiet. Same as it had been all night.

He heard the back door open and tensed. He started toward the kitchen until he heard his dad's voice greeting his mom.

His dad would eat breakfast and go upstairs to sleep after being on the graveyard shift all night. But it was still an extra cop in the house and Carlos would be able to relax somewhat.

Knowing his dad had an eye on things downstairs, Carlos headed for the stairs. He had heard Frannie fuss once during the night, Kate's quiet words to her barely carrying downstairs to where he was keeping an eye out for anyone who may come looking for them. Standing outside the spare bedroom now, Carlos listened, but it was silent. He carefully opened the door a crack, and looked in.

Kate was sound asleep on the bed, Frannie snuggled in against her. In her sleep, Kate looked younger. The anger and stone edges of her face softened. Carlos figured sleep was the only reprieve she got from her life.

He closed the door, wincing when it creaked, and moved quietly back downstairs.

In the kitchen, his mom was setting a plate of pancakes in front of his dad. Anthony looked up. "Quiet night?"

Carlos nodded once. "You?"

Anthony returned the nod. "Did a couple drive bys past Joe's. Quiet all around."

Carlos let out a sigh of relief.

Rose gave him a gentle pat on the back. "Sit down. I'll get you a plate."

Carlos took the chair across from his dad. "Thanks," he said as his mom handed him a cup of the coffee he had been smelling. He blew on the steaming cup and took a sip. When he looked up his dad was studying him.

He ignored the look and took the plate of pancakes and bacon his mom set in front of him. He picked up his knife to cut into the stack of fluffy pancakes when Kate's low voice spoke.

"Carlos," she said.

He looked up and saw her standing in the doorway to the kitchen, Frannie in her arms. Both of them looking somewhat tousled from a restless night.

"Hey," he said, standing and going to them. "Come have some breakfast."

Predictably, Kate shook her head, tightening her grip on Frannie. "We should get going."

Carlos shook his head. He glanced over his shoulder towards his parents and gently edged Kate out of the kitchen, towards the living room. Keeping his voice down, he spoke. "It's not safe."

Kate clenched her jaw. "It never has been," she retaliated, meeting his eyes.

No kidding. How she had survived this long was a mystery to him. But he wasn't sure he could stand by and watch her keep trying to. "They're going to be released by this afternoon. Wes and Johnny are going to be going for blood. More than ever."

"I know," she said.

"Just…stay here for a few days while things die down, ok? Until we know what those two are going to do."

Kate glanced over his shoulder toward the kitchen, no doubt picturing his parents and seeing the way they had looked at her with concern for whatever it was she was bringing into his life.

"That's not a good idea," she finally said.

"It's here or Jaime's," Carlos said firmly. "Somewhere Johnny can't find you and Frannie."

She narrowed her eyes at him and Carlos regretted throwing it out as an order. He closed his eyes. He fought to tamp down the fear that was threatening to overwhelm him. That had nearly gutted him when he drove up and saw the brawl and knew Johnny had Kate. Opening them, he looked at her, at this woman he needed to protect with everything in him.

"Please," he said. "It's the best way to keep Frannie safe."

Kate stared at him for a beat before she finally acquiesced with the smallest nod of her head.

Carlos felt some of the night's tension finally leave his shoulders with her agreement.

"Does Frannie like pancakes?" he asked.

#

Lacey shifted slightly, snuggling under the heavy blanket. Then she heard something. Footsteps. They weren't Kate's.

She didn't recognize the blanket.

Her eyes flew open and her breath caught in her throat in a tight panic, but she didn't dare move and draw attention to herself.

"Morning."

She recognized the voice. Her breath escaped her in one soft exhale and she relaxed back onto the couch.

Trying to calm her fluttering nerves, she gathered herself and pushed up to sitting. "Good morning," she answered Joe, her voice coming out as nothing more than a whisper.

He was in the small kitchen, getting down a box of cereal. "I'm not much of a cook, but I have cereal," he said.

Lacey hesitated, but then pushed aside the blanket that still afforded her some feeling of protection.

Joe pulled out a second bowl. "Carlos said Kate and Frannie are good."

Lacey closed her eyes in thankfulness.

"But I don't think you should be going home just yet. Not with things as unstable as they are."

The relief Lacey felt at his words surprised her. She wanted to stay here, in Joe's apartment, a world away from Wes and Johnny. With Joe.

She nodded and Joe studied her. Lacey took the bowl of cereal he had poured and carefully perched on one of the stools at the counter. Joe leaned back against the counter, holding his bowl and eating without conversation.

"You need anything?" he asked. "More clothes or…whatever?"

Lacey shook her head quickly. She had packed a bag for herself when she packed one for Frannie and Kate. She had a change of clothes, her camera. There wasn't much else she had to her name.

Joe took her answer with a nod. He didn't say much else and Lacey appreciated the easy silence. She risked a look at Joe as he picked up his phone and responded to a text. There was a lot she was starting to appreciate about Joe.

#

"You know you don't have to sit out here," Carlos said.

Kate cut her eyes toward him and gave him a look that said otherwise before looking back at Frannie, chasing after a butterfly in his parents' backyard.

"My parents are fine with you here," he said in response to what she didn't say.

She slid him another look. "I'll bet," she said.

Carlos didn't say anything more, settling in on the step next to her to watch Frannie in silence. Kate hadn't missed the looks Carlos' parents exchanged, or the way his dad watched her. It was a mix of caution and concern and she didn't blame him one bit.

"I can get a motel," she said. "Give your parents back some space."

"They're fine," he said. "I have to go in and meet with the higher ups. With Johnny and Wes at each other, we're thinking we can play them against each other, get them to turn, tell us everything when throw each other to the wolves."

Kate nodded slowly. It never would have happened with Hux. But with Johnny and Wes battling for power, they would each be more than willing to say whatever they had to to make their own sentence lighter as the empire Hux had built started to collapse.

"You need anything?" Carlos asked.

Kate shook her head. She had Frannie. She could make do with anything else.

"I'll see you when I get back," Carlos said. He stood and looked down at her like he was debating saying something else.

"Just…don't go anywhere, ok?" he asked.

If she didn't have Frannie to protect, Kate may have argued. Even with Frannie, she wanted to leave, get away from the Renzullis and get her own space. But she wasn't going anywhere and she told Carlos that.

"Thanks," he said, relief clear on his face and it was that look that made her doubt her decision to stay put.

Carlos was in too far. She could see it. It was clear to her his dad could see it. Carlos was the only one who couldn't see it.

Kate was so absorbed by that thought she didn't hear the back door open or the footsteps across the deck.

"Kate?"

Kate turned at the sound of Rose Renzulli's voice, and got to her feet. She fought the urge to fold her arms in front of her and keep a distance. She reminded herself that Carlos' mom had opened her home to her and Frannie without a word of judgment.

Rose held out a tray with a couple plates. "I thought Frannie might be getting hungry."

Everything in Kate hated taking the tray from Rose. She hated taking charity. "Thanks," she said.

Rose smiled. It was small, but sincere. "The other plate's for you."

Kate nodded her thanks, not able to get another thank you out.

Kate moved over to the grass with the tray and sat. Frannie came over and climbed into her lap. Rose had set a juice box on the tray for Frannie. Kate looked over to where Rose had been, but she had already gone back inside.

With a heavy sigh, Kate opened the juice box and handed Frannie one of the pieces of grilled cheese Rose had cut into toddler size pieces.

#