Disclaimer: The characters of Trent, Carlos, Alex, Walker, Trivette, and C.D. belong to CBS, Norris Productions, and SOT. Any other characters belong to me.
 
 
 

"Alex, thanks for letting me stay with you until I find a place."

"You're welcome, Kelly. After all, what are cousins for?" replied Alex. "How does it feel to be back in Dallas?"

"Good" answered Kelly. "I have really missed Dallas and all my old friends." Kelly had been in LA for the last five years working for LAPD. She transferred back to Dallas a week ago.

"Does that include Carlos Sandoval and Trent Malloy?" Alex teased.

"Yes, I guess it does. By the way, thanks for not telling them that I'm back in Dallas."

"I don't understand why you don't want them to know. They're going to find out soon enough, Kelly."

"I know, but I'm not sure how they feel about me after I suddenly left five years ago. Especially Carlos." Kelly responded. Kelly and Carlos had dated after high school and things were getting serious when she left for Los Angeles.

"You couldn't help it, Kelly. You got to close to nailing the mob. You had to leave to protect them. The mob threatened to kill them and anyone else you cared about if you didn't give up the investigation and leave town. They'll understand."

"I don't know. That was one of the reasons we couldn't tell them five years ago. They would NOT have understood and would have insisted that I stay, despite the danger to them."

"Maybe, but that was a long time ago. Don't underestimate them. But either way, I'm just glad Walker was eventually able to gather enough evidence to put the mob bosses away. I just wish you hadn't waited so long to come back. I missed you, cousin."

"I missed you too, Alex."

Walking over to Walker's desk, Alex smiled. Walker and Trivette were having a "discussion."

"Hi guys. How is it going?"

"Fine" replied Walker.

"Terrible" replied Trivette.

"You two can't agree on anything today, can you?" asked Alex.

"Sure we can" answered Trivette. "We both agree it's time for lunch."

"Well, before you go, I have surprise for Walker." stated Alex. "One of your students is back in town."

"Who?" asked Walker, curious.

"Me" replied Kelly, walking toward Walker, Alex and Trivette.

"Kelly! It's great to see you again." stated Walker.

"It's great to see you again too, teach" replied Kelly.

"Are you back in Dallas for good?"

"Yeah, I sure am." answered Kelly.

"Kelly has been assigned as the department liaison to you and Jimmy on your current case." Alex informed them.

"Great" replied Walker. "Oh, Kelly, by the way, this is my partner James Trivette. Trivette, this is my former Number 1 student and Alex's cousin, Detective Kelly Cahill."

"Nice to meet you" replied Trivette, shaking Kelly's hand.

"You too."

"Well, Kelly, are you ready to get to work?" asked Walker.

"You bet"

"C'mon, Carlos. Face it. You're just not the settling down kind. You have too much fun playing the field." said Trent. Trent and Carlos had been hired to find a woman's missing husband. They were on their way to check out what was probably another dead end.

"That's not true," replied Carlos. "I just haven't found the right girl yet."

"How do you know?" retorted Trent. "You don't date a girl long enough to find out."

"What is this? Pick On Carlos Day?" quipped Carlos. "I just haven't dated anyone lately that I connected with. That's all"

"Yeah, right."

"I thought I had found someone once. But it didn't work out." Carlos replied sadly.

"You're talking about Kelly Cahill, aren't you?" Trent asked.

"Yeah. I'll never understand why she left without saying 'good-bye.'" answered Carlos, angrily.

"I don't understand it either. But I'm sure she had a good reason. Well, here's the address."

Trent and Carlos walked up to the door. Trent was about to knock when he saw that the door was ajar. They cautiously walked in.

"Oh, no."

After tracking down dead-end leads all day with Walker and Trivette, Kelly was ready to go home and get a hot bath and go to bed. As she was headed home a call came over her radio. A homicide had been reported that was possibly linked to her current case and Walker and Trivette were tied up elsewhere.

"Okay, I'm on my way" replied Kelly to the dispatcher.

By the time Kelly arrived, uniform officers and the coroner had arrived. After talking with the coroner and the officers who arrived first, Detective Cahill asked who had called it in.

"That's them over there" replied an officer. "A couple of PI's, Trent Malloy and Carlos Sandoval."

Under her breath, Kelly replied, "Just what I need."

Gathering her courage, Kelly walked over to where an officer was taking Trent's and Carlos' statements. The officer was Tom McGregor. Kelly remembered him from her time on Dallas PD years ago.

"Detective Cahill!" yelled McGregor, spotting Kelly. "How in the world are you doing? I had heard that you were back in town. It's great to see you."

"Hello, Tom" replied Kelly. "Thanks. Have you got their statements?"

"Yes ma'am" answered McGregor.

"Good. Please have a copy on my desk in the morning and please send a copy to Ranger Walker."

"You got it! C-ya later, Detective."

Turning to face Trent and Carlos, Kelly greeted them. "Hello."

"It's been a long time, Kelly. I can't believe your back in Dallas" Trent said.

"Neither can I" added Carlos. "How long have you been back?"

"About a week" answered Kelly.

"Why didn't you come by to see us?" asked Trent.

"I wasn't sure either one of you wanted to see me."

"Are you sure it's not the other way around?" replied Carlos. "After all, you're the one who left."

"Look, this isn't the time or the place" stated Kelly. "What are the two of you doing here?"

"The victim's wife hired us to find him." answered Trent. "But we were too late."

"Sorry"

"Yeah, us too."

"Well, I'm sorry to cut this reunion short, but if that's all Detective Cahill, we really need to go and tell our client about her husband." Carlos said.

"Sure, you can go." answered Kelly.

"Thanks" replied Carlos sarcastically, walking off.

"We'll talk later, okay?" asked Trent.

"Sure, c-ya." replied Kelly.

Kelly watched them as they got into Trent's car and left. "Well, that went well."

"How was your first day back?" asked Alex after Kelly got home that evening.

"Okay."

"You don't sound very enthusiastic. What happened?"

"I ran into Trent and Carlos at a crime scene this afternoon."

"How did it go?"

"Not good. Trent was friendly enough, but Carlos... He was angry. I could see it in his eyes."

"I'm sorry, Kelly. Maybe if you explained everything."

"I'm not sure that would help. After all, I just left without saying anything. I can't blame him for being angry."

"You and Carlos were getting serious before you left, weren't you?"

"Yes, we were. But I don't think things will ever be the same between us."

"Don't worry. Give it time. Everything will work out."

"I hope so."

Alex hated seeing Kelly so sad. Kelly missed her two best friends and Alex knew it. Alex had to do something. So she made a decision. She just hoped that Kelly wouldn't be mad at her for interfering.

"That's why Kelly left five years ago?" asked Trent, after Alex had explained everything that happened leading up to Kelly's departure.

"Yes" answered Alex. "She couldn't tell either of you. It was dangerous for you and for her. It was the hardest thing she ever did."

"But she couldn't even say good-bye?" asked Carlos quietly.

"No" answered Alex. "I think that she was afraid if she had to see either of you before she left, she would break down and tell you everything. And if she did that it could have gotten both of killed."

"I can't believe it. She gave up everything for us." stated Trent. "You have to admire her. You're not saying much, buddy. You can't possibly still be angry with her, can you?"

"I know she risked a lot to protect us, but..."

"But what?"

"She could have gotten in touch with us at some point in the last five years, couldn't she?"

"Carlos, put yourself in her shoes." stated Alex. "If the roles had been reversed, could you just have called her up one day and say 'Hi, long time no see'?"

"No, I guess not." answered Carlos.

"Besides, she didn't know who was watching her. Any contact with you could be dangerous to both of you." Alex added. "You do understand, don't you, Carlos?"

"Yes, I guess I do. I just thought...."

"Just thought what?" Trent asked. "That she left because she didn't care for you anymore?"

"Yes." Carlos answered.

"Believe me, Carlos, she left because she DID care." Alex stated. "A lot."

Kelly decided to spend her day off at home. After all, she still had unpacking to do and Alex was in court all day. Kelly had just gotten started when the doorbell rang. She opened the door and found Trent and Carlos standing on the other side.

"Hi" greeted Carlos. "Can we come in?"

"Sure. I didn't expect to see the two of you."

"Didn't Alex tell you?" asked Trent.

"Tell me what?

"She came by to see us yesterday." answered Carlos. "She told us why you left five years ago."

"She did? I know that I should have told you. I just couldn't find the words and I wasn't sure you would listen."

"Kelly, we're truly grateful for what you did." said Trent. "It really means a lot."

"Well, it seemed the right thing to do at the time."

"It was. At least for you." stated Carlos. "YOU couldn't have done anything else. We know that."

"Thanks, Carlos." replied Kelly, tears starting to stream down her face.

"Look, I'm sorry for the way I treated you the other day. You didn't deserve it." said Carlos.

"It's all right, you didn't know. You had every right to be angry. I am really sorry for leaving and not telling you. You have no idea how much it hurt. After all, the two of you were my best friends. You had been since we were kids."

"We're still friends" said Trent. "That is, if you can forgive us for not trusting you."

"Forgive you! I'm the one who should ask for forgiveness," replied Kelly.

"We'll make you a deal," offered Carlos. "You forgive us and we'll forgive you. Okay?"

"That's one deal I'll take!" replied Kelly excitedly.

"Then it's a deal! confirmed Trent, hugging her. "Glad to have you back."

"Same here," said Carlos as he reached to hug her. Leaning back, he added "Just promise us one thing."

"What's that?"

"Never, never do this again!" stated Carlos forcefully. "Or next time we'll come after you."

"I promise," giggled Kelly.