Disclaimer: I do not own The Red Road.
A/N: This is semi-AU of S2 (mostly because only one episode has aired). Phillip did not cause trouble with the guys at the paving company, and Mac has not been murdered.
Kate leaned against one of the deputy's desks in the bullpen. She had gotten dragged along to drop off lunch for Harold. Harold was busy whispering and kissing Jean in a small alcove, leaving Kate to her own devices. Crossing her arms under her chest Kate sighed in annoyance, sitting in the middle of a half-busy police station wasn't exactly how Kate wanted to spend her Friday off. It wasn't often that she got a day off of school and volunteering, and didn't have a mountain of homework to finish. Kate supposed that was the perk of only have a few days left of school.
Three more days and Kate was free for the summer. Well, as free as she ever really was. She had plans. Plans that Kate hoped would take her fairly far from Walpole and her family, at least for a little while. And, of course, there was heavy craving to see Phillip.
Kate had been sustained by the occasional brief text message, both of them too absorbed with work of one nature or another to see each other. Kate frowned slightly, that was the downside to the whole affair. The rather illicit nature of their liaisons, relationship didn't seem to be the right word, didn't exactly lend itself to going out in public with each other or taking him home to meet the parents. Not that Kate wanted to do the latter. What mattered was that Kate couldn't just see him. She couldn't walk up to Phillip and drag him down into a kiss like she so desperately wanted to.
Phillip made things complicated and messy. Which wasn't all bad.
Shifting against the desk, Kate glanced behind her and towards where her parents were. In the process Kate caught the gaze of a very young deputy; he smiled at her, that awkward wavering smile that Kate had little choice but to return. Glancing away, Kate whet her lips, wiping away the remnants of a coconut gloss.
"Hey, you're Harold's daughter, right, Kate," a hesitant voice broke Kate's thoughts.
The very young deputy had gotten up the nerve to walk over to Kate, he was hunched slightly. Kate assumed it was an unconscious attempt to make himself seem harmless.
"Yeah," Kate forced her polite smile onto her face, head dropping a little and a blush flooding her cheeks. She wasn't comfortable in this situation, she felt vulnerable. "I'm fine thank you," the young woman answered softly.
"Are you sure I can't get you a candy bar or something from the vending machine," the man-child asked. "I'm Sam, by the way."
"Yeah," Kate nodded, "I know."
"What," a confused look passed over his face.
Unlocking her arms, Kate lifted a finger and tapped the nameplate on the desk she was leaning against, "You're the only new guy."
"Right," he chuckled, looking distinctly uncomfortable.
She smiled again, re-crossed her arms, and turned her head, gazing across the half-empty room. The front door swung open as Kate scanned the room, looking for any distraction that would get her away from the awkwardness of the deputy.
"Yeah, I'm for my check-in," a familiar low grumble of a voice caused Kate's head to snap back to the front desk.
Phillip stood, shoulders hunched slightly as he spoke, voice rumbling indistinctively as he leaned in to speak to the man on duty. Kate shifted her stance so she could see Phillip without turning her head, she silently pleaded for him to look up and catch her gaze.
"What," the redhead started as Sam settled a hand on her shoulder, "I'm fine, really."
"Coburn," the guy on desk duty called, "I've got a parole check for you."
Sam straightened and apologized for leaving Kate before he hustled over to the front desk and escorted Phillip back towards his desk. Kate bit down on her cheek to keep a placid expression on her face as Phillip moved closer. She was anxious, her heart beating viciously as Phillip moved closer and the possibility of her father walking back into the room became more probable.
It was immediately apparent to Kate the moment Phillip saw her. The tall man's steps faltered ever-so-slightly, his cheek twitched in a reflexive smile, and his eyes darkened mischievously as his face fell into a smirk.
"It'll just be a minute while I get your file," Sam offered as he pointed to a chair that Phillip could sit in.
Exhaling heavily, Phillip settled into the chair, slumping down slightly and clasping his hands across his flat stomach. "Hi, Kate," Phillip flashed her a grin.
His eyes traced the way her shorts fell high on her thighs and the way her halter-top didn't quite reach the top of her shorts, exposing her a good two inches of milky-soft skin. Skin that was barely brushed by dark, curly, red hair. Phillip wanted to reach out and twist it around his fingers, tug Kate closer. Close enough to pull her onto his lap and rest his hands on her bare waist, feel her soft hair sliding against their pressed skin.
"Phillip," his name was a breathy sigh, excitement bringing an entirely new flush to Kate's face.
"Imagine seeing you here," Phillip's tongue flicked across his lower lip, drawing Kate's attention to his mouth.
Mouth partially open Kate nodded, "Imagine that."
"Well," Phillip sniffed and pulled his right leg up and settled his ankle on his left knee, "They say I'm at a real risk for recidivism." Phillip slid his pant leg up and tapped the black plastic tracking device that Kate already knew about.
"You know, studies have shown that inmate participation in education, vocational and job training, prison work skills development, drug abuse, mental health and other treatment programs, all reduce recidivism, significantly," Kate quoted Bobby Scott fluently, a coy little smile on her lips. "But I would recommend social interaction with sponsor."
"Mm," Phillip grinned, "God you're hot when you flirt smart."
Kate attempted to stem the laughter that spilled from her lips, but she was less than successful. Head tilted down as she tried to school her expression, Kate's hair spilled over her shoulders and slid across her face. When Kate straightened, hair falling mostly back into place but clearly ruffled, it was to Phillip's proud smirk. It made Kate forget to breathe and she wanted to giggle like…Rachel.
"So," the dark haired man spoke slowly, "what are you doing after you blow this popsicle stand?"
Before Kate could respond, a sharp, "Hey," rang out as Harold stormed into the bullpen pointing vehemently. Kate jumped as Harold pulled her into him, placing himself between Kate and Phillip.
"Go to my office, Kate. Go," Harold barked and pushed Kate towards the far side of the building where his office was.
Hands on hips and mouth tight, Harold Jensen turned on the man he had formed a grudging partnership with. "What the hell did you say to my daughter?"
"Nothing, Man," Phillip sat up, setting both feet firmly on the ground.
"The hell it was nothing," Harold's hand scrabbled through his hair, "Kopus, what did you say to my daughter?"
Shaking his head in calculated distaste, Phillip smirked and leaned forward, "Nothing, I just said hello to Kate, I haven't seen her in so long."
Spinning on his heels, Harold jabbed a finger in Phillip's direction, "Coburn, watch him and don't let him do anything."
Stalking into his office, Harold closed the door and swept Kate up into a tight hug. His hands stroked her hair and he pressed kisses to the crown of her head, "Oh Katie, are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Kate nodded against her father's chest.
Inhaling Kate's scent Harold closed his eyes, "What did he say to you, Katie?"
Pushing against her father's hold, Kate struggled to look into his eyes, "Nothing. It was nothing."
"It," Harold's voice hitched, "Kate, I need to know."
The derisive snort wasn't audible as Harold pulled her back into the hug. Of course Harold had to know what had happened. "He said my name," was the meek answer, "that's it."
"Okay, okay," Harold repeated trying to sooth himself as he clutched Kate to him.
Phillip could only stare as the door to Harold's office closed and Kate was fully obscured from his view. He should have known better, he did know better, but Kate had a way of making Phillip run a little stupid, even when he was trying to be smart.
When he had stopped by the station for his parole check-in, Phillip hadn't counted on seeing the one person he wanted to more than anything. Kate had appeared like a vision. She was leaning against a desk, hip cocked and arms crossed, watching him. It was all Phillip could do to stay calm. Being near Kate was always an exercise in control, being near Kate in the vicinity of Harold was a nearly impossible exercise in control.
So, it was a given that Phillip would at the very least talk to Kate, and despite being caught by her father, Phillip wasn't feeling even a jot remorseful. Seeing Kate smile was worth the potential lambasting.
So Phillip answered the deputy's routine questions with one eye on the door that hid Kate from him, and when he was finished, Phillip grudgingly stood to leave. Disliking the idea of leaving Kate alone with Harold any more than she already was, Phillip walked slowly, hoping that the door would open.
"Phillip," he stopped in his path as a perky, surprised, voice belonging to Jean Jensen interrupted his concentration. "Hi," the redhead smiled tightly, "uh, how, how are you?"
Glancing around, Phillip returned the tight smile with one of his own. Their lasting meeting had been less than pleasant on more than one front. Jean was a mistake, a mistake Phillip refused to make again, refused to let into his life. She wasn't what he wanted anymore.
"Jean," he finally said, rocking back on his heels.
He didn't need to explain how he was, a scathing eye-roll and a more than expressive shrug was all Phillip needed to demonstrate the state of his life. He was in a police station, with a fucking tracking device on his ankle, and the woman who had run him out of town and spurned him was trying to make nice.
"I heard you were back in town," her voice was high and thin, "You look, you look good, Phillip."
"Yeah," Phillip jammed his hands in his pockets, "here I am."
Jean nodded, a pensive frown on her face, "You do look good, I'm glad."
Platitudes. Meaningless platitudes from a guilty woman. He nodded, "Yeah."
"You should," Jean shifted uncomfortably, her face drawn and tight, "you should come over for dinner tonight. It'll be nice to catch up." When Phillip didn't move or speak Jean continue, "You and, um, Junior, both of you should come over."
"Yeah," Phillip cleared his throat and turned his gaze towards the office again, "I don't think that's a very good idea. I doubt Harold would like it very much."
"No," Jean reached out to touch him, but she froze halfway through the motion and her arm dropped back to her side. "It'll be nice, I'm we'd be love to have you over. Please."
"Jean," was the long suffering reply.
This time Jean's hand made contact. Long, thin fingers settled on his forearm, drawing Phillip's attention down to her touch. He stiffened as her nails scraped along his skin, but he didn't speak.
"Sorry," the mother of two yanked back her hand. "Please, come to dinner, it'll be nice."
The problem Phillip faced was not as simply as Jean made it out to be, especially with her limited sense of the puzzle that was Phillip's entanglement with the family. On the one hand Harold hated him, and Phillip was almost certain that Harold might shoot him after today's incident. The other hand had Phillip's absolute need to see Kate and spend time with her.
In that moment Phillip's exercise in control stopped. His control shattered, and so he sighed and nodded tightly, "Alright, I'll tell the kid."
The tightness in Jean's face morphed into a smile. "Great, that's wonderful. Okay, I'll see you at six," her voice was bubbly, but still thin. Absently, Jean shook herself, "We'll see you at six," she corrected herself.
"Yeah," Phillip nodded and made his escape, sparing a brief glance back to towards where Kate was.
The pain of dinner with Jean and Harold Jensen would be worth it, because Phillip would be able to spend time with Kate right under their noses. Of course that would be a whole new test of Phillip's control. To be in the same room as Kate, to talk to her, to know she wanted him even a fraction of how much he wanted her, it would certainly be challenge.
A/N: Ah, summer! I finally have some free time, which I used to do a week and half's worth of laundry and write this piece. I've been trying to figure out some next steps for this story which has been difficult, but I hope you enjoy this installment, and look forward to the dinner. Thank you to all of the people who support me in this venture, and please let me know what you think, I love to hear how you think Kate & Phillip are progressing. Night all!