HEADS UP! THIS IS BEFORE KENNEDY AND HARRISON ARE TOGETHER! If you're still confused after me yelling at you then that's on you. Also, I apologize if this is a little more simple than usual.

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Kennedy sat before at her computer and stared at the multiple taps open, all of them holding college applications. All of them waited for her to spill her life for them to decide if she was good enough for them. As she looked over the words, a creeping feeling inched up her skin. Though she knew it wasn't possible, she felt as if her room shrinking around her.

When the feeling became unbearable, she shoved her chair back and stood up. Taking her phone out of her pocket, she dropped it on her desk. Checking that her wallet held cash, she hooked her bag over her head and jerked her shoes on.

As she left her room, she grabbed a baseball cap and tugged it on. She didn't fully understand why she was taking all the precautions she was, all she knew was she needed to leave, to get away. She needed to run.

She stepped out of the apartment door and closed it behind her.

"Hey."

Kennedy screamed and jumped back, colliding with the hallway wall. Harrison grinned making Kennedy scowl harder.

"What was that for?" she snapped.

"I said 'hey', Kenny, that wasn't something crazy to say to your best friend." He eyed her satchel and raised an eyebrow. "Where are you going?"

Swallowing, Kennedy righted herself and put on a calm mask, hiding her racing nerves.

"I'm going to the store."

"Okay I'll come with-"

"No."

Harrison paused, frowning at her.

"Look, I just have to go by myself, okay? Unless you want to stand with me in the female aisle?"

Harrison turned slightly pink and looked around. "You know what, I'll let you go on your own for this one."

Not giving him more time to rethink coming with, Kennedy moved towards the elevators.

"Later," she said, her throat tight.

"See you later, Kenny."

Pricked with guilt, Kennedy hurried towards the stairway. Inside, she pulled out sunglasses, putting them on. Instead of heading out of the lobby, she cut through the basement of the apartment building and used the back exit, edging along the wall to avoid the security cameras aimed at the back alley.

Once free of the cameras' range, she slid into the foot traffic of the sidewalk, blending in with the mob of pedestrians. She let it carry her toward the metro station. Keeping her face turned away from security cameras, she used cash to buy a single pass and climbed onto a train with a horde of other passengers.

The metro dumped her out at the train station. The station rang with footsteps, announcements on the speakers, and the rattle of wheels as trains raced in and raced out. At the destination board, Kennedy scanned the list of locations she could be taken to. Though some had trains leaving within the next half an hour, Kennedy bought a ticket for a train leaving in an hour. Though the delay was a risk, the destination was what she desired.

Buying a cup of coffee at a cafe stand, Kennedy found a back corner of the station to sit in. From her spot, she could see the front doors and watch as travelers flowed in and out. Without her phone, she felt antsy but knew having it with her would have made everything she was doing to avoid notice pointless.

She didn't even know why she felt the need to not be traced but something in her told her to keep going, to not stop until she figured it all out.

Minutes ticked by and Kennedy still watched the doors, searching the myriad of faces for two in particular. When her train was announced and she still hadn't spotted them, she felt... she didn't know. She almost expected to have seen them walking through the doors.

With one last search, she boarded her train, taking a seat in the corner where she could watch everyone around her. Passengers slowly meandered on board, stowed their bags overhead, and plopped into seats. With each new face, Kennedy felt her heart thud inside her chest.

Only when the doors to the train closed and the car lurched forward did Kennedy sink back into her seat. She was alone. Beyond the windows, the station gradually moved past, faces becoming blurs then the scenery flipped and the city flashed by her window.

Kennedy slouched in her seat, watching the world go by in blurry stripes of color. She willed the peace of seeing the world from far away and whirring by to help settle her but still, everything inside her felt tied up in thick knots.

Her solitude was shattered as someone dropped into the seat across from her. Kennedy bolted upright as Harrison nodded hello like they had planned to meet there.

"Hey," he said.

"Stop saying that!" she said. "What are you even doing here?"

"Better question is what are you doing here?"

Annoyed, Kennedy gestured around her.

"I think it's pretty obvious, I'm on a train going to New York!"

"Yeah, but why? I know you're cousin Zoya is at college in New York but this seems a bit sudden."

Kennedy wanted to punch Harrison for his careless tone. Instead, she leaned back in her seat and stared out the window, hoping he would leave her alone. He didn't, he kicked her seat, making her glare at him.

"Kenny, talk to me. What's up? A person doesn't just jump on a train to New York for no reason."

She shook her head and stared out the window. "What are you even doing here?"

"I followed you."

She looked at him then. "Why?"

"'Cause you were acting super weird. Also, you never bring up period stuff unless you want me to back off. I also called our phone and heard it in your room. I figured something was up. So I decided to follow you. Seems it was the right thing to do since now we're on our way to New York."

Despite everything, Kennedy felt a little pleased that he was worried about her. But a thought struck her.

"Did you tell my parents where I was or where I was going?"

"No."

Kennedy relaxed.

"They already knew."

"They did?"

Harrison looked at her baffled. "Kenny, they are former FBI, did you not think they would be able to find you? I saw them get into the train one car down."

With a long sigh, Kennedy dropped her head back and stared up at the ceiling of the train. She didn't speak. She'd missed them as she waited to see if they would arrive and yet still they'd slipped her notice.

"How long do you think I have before they come here?" she asked.

"I think they are going to let you travel all the way to New York."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, cause if they wanted to stop you they could have. They had plenty of time in the station."

That logic made sense but it confused Kennedy. After all the signs were clear that Kennedy was running away, why would her parents not stop her instantly?

"Why do you think they didn't?"

She might have known her parents her whole life but still at times they were a complete mystery to her. It didn't help that a lot of their lives and what they did in their jobs couldn't be shared with her.

"I think your parents have more respect for your decisions than you think they do," Harrison said.

Kennedy didn't think that was such a great thing. After all, she was on a train to New York because she felt the need to run away. She could have simply gone to one of her uncles' houses or even Mason's. But instead, she decided to travel to another state. And she couldn't explain why.

"I know. I just..."

Harrison leaned forward. "What's going on, Kenny? Why are were going to New York?"

Kennedy found she couldn't hold his gaze, his concern, his openness too much. Too much when she didn't have a good answer. Why was she on that train? Why did looking at college applications make her want to run away? It wasn't even a want, she'd run away. Looking at it, she felt stupid for her actions.

"You don't even know, do you?" Harrison asked.

Kennedy half smiled and pressed her cheek into the seat. It was comforting and annoying how well he knew her. He knew her in so many ways but didn't know the depth of her feelings for him. But that was not something that could be known. And not something to dwell on right then.

"No," she said. "I don't know."

"How long is it to New York?" he asked.

"Few hours."

Shrugging, Harrison wiggled down in his seat and closed his eyes. "Alright, if you figure out why we are on this train then let me know. Or at least wake me up when we arrive, I don't want to miss out on seeing your face when your parents meet up with you."

Kennedy kicked Harrison's leg which only made him laugh. As Harrison dozed off, Kennedy slipped out of her seat and crept towards the rear of the car. With her body pressed to one side of the door, she peered through the glass window and searched for her parents.

Against what Harrison said, she'd wondered if it had been true. But there they were. She could see half of her father's face and the back of her mother's with its messy ponytail. She leaned her head against the door. They were there but they were still letting her make the idiot decision to travel all the way to New York. She wasn't sure why they trusted her. Right then she didn't know if she trusted herself to decide what to do.

Part of her wondered if she should just go to the next car and talk with them. But she didn't move. She had no idea what she'd say. There was no explanation.

Back at her seat, Harrison slept like the dead. She watched him, hating that she felt like smiling at how his head lolled to one side and his hair fell into his face. Hating that she wanted to take the seat beside him and lean her head on his shoulder and fall asleep.

Silently berating herself, she curled her legs up and trained her attention out the window, all the while still aware of her best friend's deep, steady breathing.

*******

When Kennedy and Harrison disembarked in Grand Central station, she instantly looked around for her parents, but couldn't see them through the dense pack of travelers. Despite the stupidity of her thought she still voiced it. After all, it wasn't likely she'd ever had this opportunity again.

"Want to see if we can lose my parents?" Kennedy asked.

Harrison laughed then stopped. "Oh, you're actually serious? You think we could?"

Kennedy shrugged. All her decisions today had been less than advisable and still she was in New York without understanding why. And right then she didn't want to face them with no way of reasoning her actions.

"Sure," Harrison said. "I have zero faith in our abilities but what the heck."

Kennedy took his hand and dragged him out of the normal flow of travelers. Even though she'd done it to guide him, Kennedy felt how her hand tingled when intertwined with his.

She quickly dropped his hand and stopped herself from shaking it to try to get rid of the feeling, knowing he'd notice the action and question it.

They slipped out a side exit and mixed with the passing pedestrians. Kennedy kept them moving at a quick pace. She cut into a store only to cut out another side exit. They entered a restaurant, confidently walked past the tables, stopped a server asked for the rear exit, and went where they were directed. In the back alley of the restaurant, they cut back into the street.

Kennedy did every counter-tailing tactic her parents had taught her until she had herself and Harrison tucked into a corner of a coffee shop watching the world through the window. When five minutes passed without no sign of her parents, Kennedy didn't know how to feel. Had she actually managed to evade her parents? The former FBI agents? It didn't seem likely.

"Come on," she said.

They headed back out to the street. Setting a path towards Central Park, Kennedy walked while searching the crowd for her parents. She still didn't believe that they hadn't been followed.

"I don't see them," Harrison said.

"Me either."

"Okay, well why don't you tell me now why you decided to run away."

"I already told you, I don't know."

"Part of you knows. I've seen you furious at your parents, but you've never run away. That means I don't think this has anything to do with them."

"I never said it did."

"No, but it means we've cut out one reason."

"What are you, my therapist?"

"No, concerned best friend."

Kennedy hated how her heart reacted to those words, holding them close and hating how they hurt to hold them when she wanted more.

"And you're going to solve my problems?" she asked.

"Probably not but I can try."

Something about the honesty of this statement made Kennedy smile. Sometimes just having someone helping her find the answers was better than being handed them.

"Let's trace this back," Harrison said, turning around to walk backward and look at her.

She smiled at him and laughed when he bumped into someone who swore at him. Harrison said an apology and quickly returned to walking beside her.

"Even though you are crazy," Harrison said, and in which Kennedy punched his arm. He laughed. "Like I was saying, you're crazy but you don't often run away just cause."

"You make me feel like constantly running away."

"An exaggeration since you know you couldn't live without me."

"I think I would have a better life without you."

"A delusional one for sure."

When Kennedy turned on him to start slapping his arm, Harrison took off running. Kennedy chased him but they both had to stop when they reached a crosswalk.

Before Kennedy could make good on her abuse, Harrison wrapped his arms around her, pinning her hands to her sides. She brought her foot down hard but all she hit was concrete. He grinned at her.

"Taught by the same teachers, remember?" he said.

In a flash, Kennedy kissed him on the cheek, stunning him. She broke from his hold easily and slapped his chest once.

"I have developed some tactics that weren't taught to me," she said.

Harrison pressed his hand to his cheek. "Clearly." He lowered his hand. "Doesn't change that we need to figure out why we are here."

With the lightness she felt being playful with Harrison, Kennedy had almost forgotten the feeling that had been tangled around.

"Right," she said.

The crosswalk sign changed and they crossed the street into Central Park. With no thought about where they were going, they chose a path at random. Around them the trees were dotted with the first signs of color, marking the change to come.

"As I said," Harrison said. "You don't usually run away. So what were you doing before you decided to be an idiot?" She turned on him but he shied away quickly. "Don't try to disagree, Kenny. You know running away wasn't your brightest idea."

It was impossible to agree with that. "I was looking over college applications."

"Okay," Harrison said, slowly. "I don't see what the big deal is about that. Knowing you and how well you write your essay will be amazing."

"I know that... It's just. I don't even know. Thinking about now writing an essay and applying doesn't feel like a big deal. I just... Where do I apply to? What do I study? Do I follow in my parents' footsteps? That seems like the path that makes the most sense. But is it the path I want or just one I'm comfortable with? And if it's not what I want to do, what do I do? Where do I go? How far do I go? I've lived in DC my entire life, do I even know what it's like to live somewhere else?" She stopped walking and spun on Harrison. "I don't get how I can be raised by my parents and the thought of leaving can make me scared. For crying out loud they taught me to be completely independent and yet the thought of the future freaks me out! Why?"

To his credit, and a reason Kennedy loved him, Harrison didn't look at all surprised by her outburst. He simply nodded.

"I think we found the reason you ran away," he said.

At his matter fact tone, Kennedy laughed a little and buried her face in her hands.

"I feel like an idiot," she said.

"That's okay. It's because you are."

Again she wanted to hit him, but Harrison hugged her before she could. Instead of fighting it, Kennedy decided to rest in his familiar comfort.

"I feel like I'm somehow letting them down by being so scared of something so small," she said, holding into him.

Harrison pulled his head back to look down at her. "Your future is small?"

She glared and he grinned.

"Would it help you if I told you I'm scared too?"

"Really?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I have no idea what I want to do. I mean with my grandfather was, with my parents being as successful as they are, it's a lot to feel like I'm living up to."

"Why do our parents have to be so accomplished?"

"It's really inconsiderate of them," Harrison said.

"Agreed."

With a sigh, Kennedy let go of Harrison and the pair walked on. Eventually, they found an empty bench and sat down. Neither of them spoke as they stared out at the lake across from them and the people milling about it, most of them holding out phones.

"You know," Harrison said. "For someone who is scared of being on her own, you showed it in an extremely weird way." Kennedy looked at him. "Kenny, you ran away to New York."

"Yeah... not my best moment."

"You don't say."

She shoved her shoulder against him. "I guess I'm not entirely scared of being on my own, more... More the thoughts of not knowing what I want to do. Why that made me want to run away? I don't actually know."

"That makes sense, 'cause you don't make sense."

Kennedy let it slide since her actions seemed to echo this statement. She watched the people all around, all of them moving about with some sense of direction.

"Do you think everyone feels worried about their future?" she asked.

"I know your parents raised a very stubborn and capable girl who has never been afraid before," Harrison said. "But that is a stupid question. Of course, everyone is afraid of the future at some point. You're only facing it for the first time now."

"You make me sound spoiled."

"With your parents you kind are."

"Have you met my parents?"

"Yeah, they love you like crazy and would do everything to protect you and give you anything you need. I believe that's the definition of spoiled."

"So my fear of the future is their fault!"

Harrison laughed and Kennedy smiled. When Kennedy thought of her parents all she could think about was how constant they'd been in her life. Even with needing to travel around for work, she never felt alone. She'd always known if she needed them they'd be there.

Now thinking about going to college and beyond, she wondered if she'd feel the same way. But maybe that was a reality every kid had to come to terms with.

With those thoughts, Kennedy realized how grateful she was. How many kids didn't have the certainty her parents had given her? A certainty to such a degree she didn't know how life without them always being there would look like.

As if falling from her thoughts, her parents appeared and sat on the bench beside her, eating ice cream. Both Kennedy and Harrison started, Harrison letting out a small yelp.

"We thought you lost you!" he said.

Carter casually spooned out some ice cream. "You forgot the one key thing."

"What?" Kennedy said. "You're former FBI agents?"

"No," her father said. "Harrison still had his phone on him."

"We've been tracking you since you got off the train," her mother said.

"What?" Kennedy and Harrison said.

"Naturally," Donovan said. "We got some lunch and dessert and waited until you remained in one spot for a while before coming after you."

Kennedy bent forward, burying her face in her hands. Maybe not constantly having her parents around wouldn't be such a bad thing, they made her feel inferior. After all, how was she supposed to live up to them? But maybe if she cut her own path, she wouldn't have to try to be them but just be her.

Her father patted her back. "It's okay, Cadet. We know you left your phone on your desk, you simply have an idiot for a best friend. But based on the fact that we are in New York for no decreeable reason, you make a good pair."

At this, Kennedy straightened and her father ate ice cream, smiling at her.

"Is there a reason we are in New York right now?" her mother asked.

"Because you both decided to get on a train," Kennedy said.

"How about an answer without the sass?" Carter said, calmly.

Though it was a calm tone, it was a tone Kennedy knew well. Despite the jokes, her parents weren't pleased with her decision to run away. As she looked at it now, Kennedy wasn't pleased with herself either.

"You both have always been there in my life that thinking about applying to college and leaving, I don't know how I'll do without you. For some reason that made me want to run away."

Her father looked at her and Kennedy saw the same love she always found in her gaze.

"What makes you think we won't be part of your life even when you go to college? Or beyond that? Growing up doesn't mean you outgrow us. We'll always be with you."

"Your father is right," her mother said. "You'll need us for moments like this: when you do something thoughtless and we can tell you how thoughtless it was."

Kennedy looked at both her parents, aware that even though she might be facing a lot of disciple for her actions, she felt safe knowing that no matter what she did or where she went, they would still be there for her. They would be the safe place she could always run back to when she felt like running away.

"Promise?" she said.

Donovan wrapped an arm around Kennedy's shoulders and kissed the top of her head. "Promise."

Carter stood and tossed her empty ice cream cup into the trash can. "Come on, we're going home where you are going to be buried in jobs to pay back your train ticket. As good parents, we need to remind you that being thoughtless costs."

Despite knowing that the jobs wouldn't be easy, Kennedy smiled. After all, her parents had followed her all the way to New York to make sure she was okay. She had them, that made it all worth it.

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You have my apology.

Yes, that is my greeting because honestly I don't know if this chapter was worth the read.

If you have any thoughts that are in some shape or form share them, I'm genuinely curious what you thought of it. 💬🗯💭🚄

I have to admit something, I love Kennedy, I do but... I think she makes a great side character in Sophia's story.

Wow I feel like the worst parent, I mean author for saying that but it's true. She's wonderfully but Sophia has a depth that makes me far more fascinated with her story.

But still hopefully you love Kennedy a little bit too, even if she'd a bit of an idiot for simply running away for no reason whatsoever... yeah really not her best moment.

Vote, comment, follow and thanks for sticking with me thought this chapter for whatever it was!

Awww the Keller-Owens family plus Harrison!