Fanfic: Courtesy
Courtesy
By Marea67
About: Scotty and Robert
Rate: G
Disclaimer: Written with love, not for money.
Summary: Takes place during 3.19. Right after Sarah's talk with Robert, about Kitty pulling away, Scotty brings Robert some meals to take the burden off Kitty (and knowing Kitty's cooking, offer Robert something to actually eat.)
*****
Robert opens the door to let Scotty in. It surprises him that Scotty drove all the way up to the ranch, until he remembers that Kevin has left with Tommy and Justin to try and talk some sense into Tommy. Which, according to Robert, will most likely be a waste of time, money and effort.
“Good to see a friendly face.” Robert smiles. “I just had a very heavy conversation with Sarah about Kitty.”
“Sarah? Came all the way up here? She should have told me. Could have spared me the journey.” Scotty answers, sounding a bit tired.
Robert doesn't answer to that. Instead he listens to the instructions that Scotty gives. In all, it shouldn't be too hard, because Scotty has also left the instructions on how long to heat the meals up, on the boxes, so Robert should be able to do this himself.
“So? Is it true?” Scotty suddenly asks.
“What?” Robert asks in return.
“What I heard through the Walker gossip-channels.”
“Depends on what the latest gossip is.” Robert wonders.
“Kitty is furious because you’re working yourself up to your next heart-attack?”
“Oh, please, I appreciate everyone’s concern about my health, I really do, but just … don’t go all Walker-hysterical on me. I know what I’m doing.”
Scotty seems to freeze. He's unable to understand how Robert can live in such deep denial about how dangerously close he had come to dying and not even being here anymore.
“Fine.” Scotty replies in a voice that indicates that it’s not fine. Robert counts to ten in his head. After the lecture he just had from Sarah, that Kitty is pulling away from him, the last thing he needs, is for Scotty to give him a hard time as well. He takes a deep breath.
“I’m not overdoing anything.” He tries to convince Scotty.
“I just heard it said that you’re pushing yourself too hard…”
“I’m not…. Anyway, I like that you care, but …. it’s really none of your business.” The moment the words leave his mouth Robert gets, that they came out stronger than he had intended.
He can see Scotty’s shoulders tense up. The way he shoves the pre-prepared food in the fridge tells that he’s holding on to his senses. Scotty’s entire body displays a self-control that Robert can only admire, because he can actually feel Scotty’s anger radiating towards him. However, when Scotty turns around he has the friendliest smile on his face.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right…. None of my business.” Scotty says and he heads for the door. Robert is about to ask Scotty to stay a little longer, perhaps a quick drink, but Scotty has by now reached the door and turns back to Robert and asks. “Could you at least do me one favor?”
“Yes, of course.” Robert answers, glad that he can seemingly do something for Scotty.
“Next time you have a heart-attack, could you do me the common courtesy of having it in front of your wife instead of my husband? And the next time you decide to flat-line in a hospital, could you perhaps do it with your brother Jason in the room instead of Kevin?
I’m sure that your brother will find it much easier to find a right bible-quote, that will make him feel less helpless than Kevin did, when he saw you crash and die. And if Jason can’t do that, than perhaps you and the church can deal with the after-shock of someone who can’t sleep at night, because he can still here the sound of the machine in his head, even though it's been weeks!
How dare you say to me that it’s none of my business? It may be none of my business what you do with your live. But you made it my business the moment you collapsed in front of my husband. What happened to you may be forgotten to you, but Kevin still sees it happen in his mind every time.
You may pretend that you’re just a-okay and that everything was just a minor thingy, but I know the truth! And I see how you turned Kevin into liar in front of the cameras, so you can hang on to some stupid seat in some place that is obviously more important to you than your life or Kitty or the fact that your kids may soon not have a dad.
You can go on and act like you’re all strong and healthy and got ‘nothing going on’, but I know that you’re a phony and that you’re just not honest with your voters. But that is your life and, you’re right, that segment of your life is none of my business. However, you make it my business when your living-in-denial may impact my husband again.
I am the one who has to deal with his feelings, with his anxieties, his nightmares and his pain. So, if you wish to continue to make it none of my business, don’t drag my husband into your next attempt at an early death! Do it to your own family!” And with a quick nod that he’s done, Scotty leaves Robert standing in the kitchen, surprised by the angry words from the usually so quiet Scotty.
*****
Scotty picks up his phone and he smiles.
“Oh, hi, my name is Kevin Walker. I was wondering if I could schedule an appointment for later this evening?” He hears Kevin tease him gently. Scotty plays along.
“Look at that. An appointment just opened up. Shall I pencil you in, Mr Walker?
“Yes, please…. I love you.” Scotty is about to reply to Kevin’s words with something equally loving, when another voice breaks in on the line.
“Love you too, Scotty.” Scotty’s smile broadens at the sound of his brother-in-law’s voice.
“Oooh, Justin loves you too.” Kevin coos.
“See you tonight.” Scotty understands that, with Justin there, Kevin and he can no longer have a more meaningful or even lust-filled conversation.
“Okay. Bye.” Kevin replies with a dash of regret.
Scotty puts his phone on the table and he worries about how Kevin will react, if he hears what Scotty had said to Robert last night. He wonders if Robert could have called Kevin, but then he throws aside the thought. If he had, Kevin would not have sounded so cheerful on the phone.
Plus, Robert doesn’t strike Scotty as the kind of person who would go running to Kevin because Scotty had ‘mean’ to him. In fact, he knows that Robert hates the way the Walkers can’t keep anything a secret and how everything always get blurted out, especially at an inconvenient moment.
He gets up to get another cup of tea, when there’s a knock at the door. Scotty opens the door to find Robert standing there.
“Robert.” Scotty is obviously surprised. Robert’s smile is slightly unsure. Scotty steps aside and lets him in.
“My chauffeur drove me up here.”
“Good. Because I actually thought for a moment that you had jogged all the way, with a string of journalists behind you, so you can prove how great you’re doing.” Scotty replies sarcastically.
He sees the wince on Robert’s face and decides to tone it down a bit.
“Why are you here? I just spoke to Kevin, he won’t be home until late tonight.” Scotty exaggerates at bit, to hopefully have some time to be with Kevin.
“Now who’s stretching the truth? Kevin told me that he’d be back late this afternoon.”
Scotty sighs. Of course. Kevin must have told Robert. Seeing the slightly disappointed look on Scotty’s face, Robert can’t help but laugh softly.
“Don’t worry. He made it very clear that he won’t be available for anything or anyone until tomorrow-morning, because you are his number one priority tonight...”
He sees the surprise on Scotty’s face.
“… and I think that was already more info than I needed to have.” Robert adds.
“Do you want something to drink? Coffee? I have decaffeinated coffee.” Scotty offers.
“No, thanks I already had some this morning.”
“Something else? Tea, milk. I got lemonade…. I always have it here for Justin.”
“Some lemonade then.” Robert answers. A few minutes later Scotty exits the kitchen, with lemonade for Robert and a cup of tea for himself.
“So…. What brings you here?” Scotty asks, though he has a good idea.
“I wanted to talk to you about last night….”
“If you’re expecting me to apologize…?”
“No. … At least, I don’t think so… No. I think I’m the one who should apologize…. I had no right to say what I said. You’re right. I had forgotten that Kevin was there when I had my heart-attack and that he witnessed it all. I hadn’t thought of the shock that this must have given him. I’ve been so focused on myself and defending myself, that … I think I may have temporarily lost the ability to put myself in someone else’s position.
I’ve been angry at Kitty for ‘holding me back’, but in reality, she has every right to be worried about losing her husband and the father of her child. I don’t need her worries right now, because I want to focus on getting better and not on what could go wrong, but … I have no right to tell her not to worry.
And I had no right to tell you that my health was none of your business, because, .. you’re right… If anything were to happen to me, it would be very likely that it would happen in front of either Kitty or Kevin or both, because they are the two persons I see the most at the moment.
And I get that your concern may not necessarily lie with me, but with Kevin. And that is as it should be. Last night, I had trouble going to sleep and I thought a few things through. I’m not usually the one thinking in ‘What if’ scenarios. If it happened in one way, there’s no worrying about what would have been the consequences if had not happened that way..
But last night, I wondered what would have happened if I would have had the attack in front of Kitty…. I don’t even really know how Kevin experienced it all. I never even asked him. But I know that Kitty would have been in shock and terrified. I wouldn’t want to see her get hurt… I don’t want to put Kevin through another drama either…. So,… I’ll try to stick to what I’ve been told to do.”
Scotty had quietly listened to Robert, but now he shrugs and replies calmly:
“Well rehearsed speech… I just hope that it isn’t the usual empty promise of a politician.”
“It’s not….” Robert says and Scotty tries to read if he’s telling the truth or not. Scotty is not convinced, but for Kevin’s sake he’s ready to concede a bit.
“Okay…. I’m sorry if I got mad last night. Of course, I wouldn’t want Kitty to see what Kevin had to see…”
“How is Kevin dealing with it, by the way? I never realized that it must have been a shock for him too….”
Scotty thinks over his reply before he opens his mouth.
“He was shocked. Ahm… There was so much going on. Keeping the secret, Evan being born, making sure the hospital would remain quiet, everyone’s feelings all over the place, the stuff with Tommy that followed…
There was no real time to stop and deal with anything in particular… Just one phone-call after another. Meeting after meeting. Drama upon drama. It was quite the roller-coaster-ride…”
“And no one stopped to consider Kevin’s feelings, is it?”
Robert knows that he hit the nail on the head, when a little flash of anger goes over Scotty’s face. Scotty is a caring and concerned husband. Robert can understand how the lack of thought and care for Kevin would affect Scotty.
“Do you know that there was only one person as concerned about Kevin as I was…?”
“Justin?” Robert guesses. Scotty shakes his head.
“Jason.” He answers. “In fact, I found a place to voice my concern in your brother. It was the weirdest situation, where we both concerned about you. And Kitty. But also Kevin.”
“I’m glad to hear that…. Good to know that a least one McCallister is considerate enough.”
Scotty can’t help but smile at Robert’s words. He shakes his head.
“You had your own problem. So did Kitty. So did Tommy and by consequence the entire Walker-clan…”
“I’m glad that Kevin had you to fall back on…” Robert says in all sincerity.
“And I’m glad that your brother was there for me. It was a strange situation.” Scotty nods. Robert finally relaxes and leans back.
“Can you imagine how foolish it is that I’ve known Kevin for so long and I work him and we’re family … and I’ve never even been here….”
“Nora’s house is the ideal place to get together. We would lack the space to do it.” Scotty grins.
“It’s a nice house…”
“Want me to show you the place? I’ll can have it done in 3 minutes…”
“Should I ask for my driver to drive us?” Robert jokes.
“No, we can walk the distance. I’ll pack our lunch though.” Scotty now laughs and he offers Robert his hand to help him off the couch. Now that Scotty had voiced is anger about Kevin had been treated, Scotty is willing to give Robert another chance.
THE END
By Marea67
About: Scotty and Robert
Rate: G
Disclaimer: Written with love, not for money.
Summary: Takes place during 3.19. Right after Sarah's talk with Robert, about Kitty pulling away, Scotty brings Robert some meals to take the burden off Kitty (and knowing Kitty's cooking, offer Robert something to actually eat.)
*****
Robert opens the door to let Scotty in. It surprises him that Scotty drove all the way up to the ranch, until he remembers that Kevin has left with Tommy and Justin to try and talk some sense into Tommy. Which, according to Robert, will most likely be a waste of time, money and effort.
“Good to see a friendly face.” Robert smiles. “I just had a very heavy conversation with Sarah about Kitty.”
“Sarah? Came all the way up here? She should have told me. Could have spared me the journey.” Scotty answers, sounding a bit tired.
Robert doesn't answer to that. Instead he listens to the instructions that Scotty gives. In all, it shouldn't be too hard, because Scotty has also left the instructions on how long to heat the meals up, on the boxes, so Robert should be able to do this himself.
“So? Is it true?” Scotty suddenly asks.
“What?” Robert asks in return.
“What I heard through the Walker gossip-channels.”
“Depends on what the latest gossip is.” Robert wonders.
“Kitty is furious because you’re working yourself up to your next heart-attack?”
“Oh, please, I appreciate everyone’s concern about my health, I really do, but just … don’t go all Walker-hysterical on me. I know what I’m doing.”
Scotty seems to freeze. He's unable to understand how Robert can live in such deep denial about how dangerously close he had come to dying and not even being here anymore.
“Fine.” Scotty replies in a voice that indicates that it’s not fine. Robert counts to ten in his head. After the lecture he just had from Sarah, that Kitty is pulling away from him, the last thing he needs, is for Scotty to give him a hard time as well. He takes a deep breath.
“I’m not overdoing anything.” He tries to convince Scotty.
“I just heard it said that you’re pushing yourself too hard…”
“I’m not…. Anyway, I like that you care, but …. it’s really none of your business.” The moment the words leave his mouth Robert gets, that they came out stronger than he had intended.
He can see Scotty’s shoulders tense up. The way he shoves the pre-prepared food in the fridge tells that he’s holding on to his senses. Scotty’s entire body displays a self-control that Robert can only admire, because he can actually feel Scotty’s anger radiating towards him. However, when Scotty turns around he has the friendliest smile on his face.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right…. None of my business.” Scotty says and he heads for the door. Robert is about to ask Scotty to stay a little longer, perhaps a quick drink, but Scotty has by now reached the door and turns back to Robert and asks. “Could you at least do me one favor?”
“Yes, of course.” Robert answers, glad that he can seemingly do something for Scotty.
“Next time you have a heart-attack, could you do me the common courtesy of having it in front of your wife instead of my husband? And the next time you decide to flat-line in a hospital, could you perhaps do it with your brother Jason in the room instead of Kevin?
I’m sure that your brother will find it much easier to find a right bible-quote, that will make him feel less helpless than Kevin did, when he saw you crash and die. And if Jason can’t do that, than perhaps you and the church can deal with the after-shock of someone who can’t sleep at night, because he can still here the sound of the machine in his head, even though it's been weeks!
How dare you say to me that it’s none of my business? It may be none of my business what you do with your live. But you made it my business the moment you collapsed in front of my husband. What happened to you may be forgotten to you, but Kevin still sees it happen in his mind every time.
You may pretend that you’re just a-okay and that everything was just a minor thingy, but I know the truth! And I see how you turned Kevin into liar in front of the cameras, so you can hang on to some stupid seat in some place that is obviously more important to you than your life or Kitty or the fact that your kids may soon not have a dad.
You can go on and act like you’re all strong and healthy and got ‘nothing going on’, but I know that you’re a phony and that you’re just not honest with your voters. But that is your life and, you’re right, that segment of your life is none of my business. However, you make it my business when your living-in-denial may impact my husband again.
I am the one who has to deal with his feelings, with his anxieties, his nightmares and his pain. So, if you wish to continue to make it none of my business, don’t drag my husband into your next attempt at an early death! Do it to your own family!” And with a quick nod that he’s done, Scotty leaves Robert standing in the kitchen, surprised by the angry words from the usually so quiet Scotty.
*****
Scotty picks up his phone and he smiles.
“Oh, hi, my name is Kevin Walker. I was wondering if I could schedule an appointment for later this evening?” He hears Kevin tease him gently. Scotty plays along.
“Look at that. An appointment just opened up. Shall I pencil you in, Mr Walker?
“Yes, please…. I love you.” Scotty is about to reply to Kevin’s words with something equally loving, when another voice breaks in on the line.
“Love you too, Scotty.” Scotty’s smile broadens at the sound of his brother-in-law’s voice.
“Oooh, Justin loves you too.” Kevin coos.
“See you tonight.” Scotty understands that, with Justin there, Kevin and he can no longer have a more meaningful or even lust-filled conversation.
“Okay. Bye.” Kevin replies with a dash of regret.
Scotty puts his phone on the table and he worries about how Kevin will react, if he hears what Scotty had said to Robert last night. He wonders if Robert could have called Kevin, but then he throws aside the thought. If he had, Kevin would not have sounded so cheerful on the phone.
Plus, Robert doesn’t strike Scotty as the kind of person who would go running to Kevin because Scotty had ‘mean’ to him. In fact, he knows that Robert hates the way the Walkers can’t keep anything a secret and how everything always get blurted out, especially at an inconvenient moment.
He gets up to get another cup of tea, when there’s a knock at the door. Scotty opens the door to find Robert standing there.
“Robert.” Scotty is obviously surprised. Robert’s smile is slightly unsure. Scotty steps aside and lets him in.
“My chauffeur drove me up here.”
“Good. Because I actually thought for a moment that you had jogged all the way, with a string of journalists behind you, so you can prove how great you’re doing.” Scotty replies sarcastically.
He sees the wince on Robert’s face and decides to tone it down a bit.
“Why are you here? I just spoke to Kevin, he won’t be home until late tonight.” Scotty exaggerates at bit, to hopefully have some time to be with Kevin.
“Now who’s stretching the truth? Kevin told me that he’d be back late this afternoon.”
Scotty sighs. Of course. Kevin must have told Robert. Seeing the slightly disappointed look on Scotty’s face, Robert can’t help but laugh softly.
“Don’t worry. He made it very clear that he won’t be available for anything or anyone until tomorrow-morning, because you are his number one priority tonight...”
He sees the surprise on Scotty’s face.
“… and I think that was already more info than I needed to have.” Robert adds.
“Do you want something to drink? Coffee? I have decaffeinated coffee.” Scotty offers.
“No, thanks I already had some this morning.”
“Something else? Tea, milk. I got lemonade…. I always have it here for Justin.”
“Some lemonade then.” Robert answers. A few minutes later Scotty exits the kitchen, with lemonade for Robert and a cup of tea for himself.
“So…. What brings you here?” Scotty asks, though he has a good idea.
“I wanted to talk to you about last night….”
“If you’re expecting me to apologize…?”
“No. … At least, I don’t think so… No. I think I’m the one who should apologize…. I had no right to say what I said. You’re right. I had forgotten that Kevin was there when I had my heart-attack and that he witnessed it all. I hadn’t thought of the shock that this must have given him. I’ve been so focused on myself and defending myself, that … I think I may have temporarily lost the ability to put myself in someone else’s position.
I’ve been angry at Kitty for ‘holding me back’, but in reality, she has every right to be worried about losing her husband and the father of her child. I don’t need her worries right now, because I want to focus on getting better and not on what could go wrong, but … I have no right to tell her not to worry.
And I had no right to tell you that my health was none of your business, because, .. you’re right… If anything were to happen to me, it would be very likely that it would happen in front of either Kitty or Kevin or both, because they are the two persons I see the most at the moment.
And I get that your concern may not necessarily lie with me, but with Kevin. And that is as it should be. Last night, I had trouble going to sleep and I thought a few things through. I’m not usually the one thinking in ‘What if’ scenarios. If it happened in one way, there’s no worrying about what would have been the consequences if had not happened that way..
But last night, I wondered what would have happened if I would have had the attack in front of Kitty…. I don’t even really know how Kevin experienced it all. I never even asked him. But I know that Kitty would have been in shock and terrified. I wouldn’t want to see her get hurt… I don’t want to put Kevin through another drama either…. So,… I’ll try to stick to what I’ve been told to do.”
Scotty had quietly listened to Robert, but now he shrugs and replies calmly:
“Well rehearsed speech… I just hope that it isn’t the usual empty promise of a politician.”
“It’s not….” Robert says and Scotty tries to read if he’s telling the truth or not. Scotty is not convinced, but for Kevin’s sake he’s ready to concede a bit.
“Okay…. I’m sorry if I got mad last night. Of course, I wouldn’t want Kitty to see what Kevin had to see…”
“How is Kevin dealing with it, by the way? I never realized that it must have been a shock for him too….”
Scotty thinks over his reply before he opens his mouth.
“He was shocked. Ahm… There was so much going on. Keeping the secret, Evan being born, making sure the hospital would remain quiet, everyone’s feelings all over the place, the stuff with Tommy that followed…
There was no real time to stop and deal with anything in particular… Just one phone-call after another. Meeting after meeting. Drama upon drama. It was quite the roller-coaster-ride…”
“And no one stopped to consider Kevin’s feelings, is it?”
Robert knows that he hit the nail on the head, when a little flash of anger goes over Scotty’s face. Scotty is a caring and concerned husband. Robert can understand how the lack of thought and care for Kevin would affect Scotty.
“Do you know that there was only one person as concerned about Kevin as I was…?”
“Justin?” Robert guesses. Scotty shakes his head.
“Jason.” He answers. “In fact, I found a place to voice my concern in your brother. It was the weirdest situation, where we both concerned about you. And Kitty. But also Kevin.”
“I’m glad to hear that…. Good to know that a least one McCallister is considerate enough.”
Scotty can’t help but smile at Robert’s words. He shakes his head.
“You had your own problem. So did Kitty. So did Tommy and by consequence the entire Walker-clan…”
“I’m glad that Kevin had you to fall back on…” Robert says in all sincerity.
“And I’m glad that your brother was there for me. It was a strange situation.” Scotty nods. Robert finally relaxes and leans back.
“Can you imagine how foolish it is that I’ve known Kevin for so long and I work him and we’re family … and I’ve never even been here….”
“Nora’s house is the ideal place to get together. We would lack the space to do it.” Scotty grins.
“It’s a nice house…”
“Want me to show you the place? I’ll can have it done in 3 minutes…”
“Should I ask for my driver to drive us?” Robert jokes.
“No, we can walk the distance. I’ll pack our lunch though.” Scotty now laughs and he offers Robert his hand to help him off the couch. Now that Scotty had voiced is anger about Kevin had been treated, Scotty is willing to give Robert another chance.
THE END