DISCLAIMER: If you've never heard the name on the tv show, then chances are
that I created the character and therefore it belongs to me. Otherwise, West
Wing does not belong to me nor do the characters. I can only dream. KD Brody
does belong to me, but she's gonna kick my ass for saying so. Yes, Katy, you
are a sentient being and you belong to yourself . . . And Toby.

NOTES: Uh, this has a few mentions to violent incidents and one strong
romantic scene, but none of these references are extreme, in my humble
author's opinion. You lucky people finally get to learn why KD was kicked out
of the FBI.

SERIES: The KD Brody Universe. :)

SUMMARY: When a convicted murderer escapes custody, KD has to face her past
in Detroit. Meanwhile, there's the West Wing that she's left behind.


It was a peaceful morning. It was one of those mornings that feels so
perfect that everyone just knows it's going to lead into a day of hell. Calm
before the storm, KD called it. Jed always told her that she hit the hammer
on the head with mornings like this one. Jed walked into the Oval office and
sat down at his desk. No sooner had he done so that Leo burst into the room
with two pieces of paper and a worried look on his face.

"Leo. What's wrong?" He asked.

"A guy named Terrence Faraday was being transported from a holding prison
to maximum security and he escaped, killing three guards. He's taken hostages
at a tourist warehouse attraction in Detroit." Leo exclaimed, putting the
readout on the desk. Jed took the papers and looked at them with a sad
grimace. He hated things like this.

"Okay, do we got our guys on the site?" He asked looking at his friend.

Leo hesitated. "What?"

"There's more." Leo exclaimed.

"What?"

"This Faraday guy says he won't talk to anyone but KD Brody." Leo
announced softly. Jed frowned. "Jed, did you ever read KD's FBI file? Do you
even know why she got kicked out?" Leo asked darkly.

"No. I didn't think it was necessary. If she'd killed someone, she'd be
in prison. What else would I care about?" Jed replied.

"Look at the second paper, read it." Leo insisted. Jed did as he was
told. Then he looked up at Leo in shock. Leo nodded.

"Get KD in here now. I've got to talk to her." The President said softly.

Leo hesitated and then moved to comply. Jed stared at the paper and already
regretted what he was going to have to say. "Charlie!"

"Yes, sir?" Charlie Young asked as he leaned in the door.

"Call the Detroit FBI regional office and get a hold of someone named Max
Erickson. I need to talk to him." Jed exclaimed. Charlie nodded and exited
the office, heading for his desk. He heard the sound of KD and Leo talking
softly as they approached the office.

"Hey, Charlie. What's up?" KD asked cheerfully, not a clue as to what was
going on. Charlie smiled.

"Nothing much, but it's still morning." He replied.

"Making a phone call?" She asked.

"Yeah, the president wants to talk to someone in Detroit, a-" Charlie
started, but was quickly interrupted.

"KD, the president is waiting." Leo interrupted. Charlie frowned. It
wasn't like Leo to interrupt him. Leo was a nice man who respected everyone,
and it hurt a bit. "Sorry, Charlie." Leo added before pushing KD for the
door.

"Geeze, Leo, relax." She exclaimed before they both disappeared into the
Oval office. "Hey, Joss. You called me?" She asked as Leo moved to take a
seat in one of the armchairs. She frowned seeing the serious looks on their
faces.

"Yeah, kid. Sit down." Jed replied gravely. Her frown deepened as she
took a seat on the far end of the couch.

"What's up, guys? You're acting like messengers of death." She exclaimed.

"This is kind of serious, Katy." Leo said softly.

"I read the bit of your FBI file regarding your . . . release." Jed said
softly.

"Expulsion. I was fired, Joss. You can say that." KD said softly. "I
figured you would eventually anyway."

"I wouldn't have except something came up." Jed replied.

"What's that?" KD asked uncertainly.

"Terrence Faraday escaped custody." Leo replied, wanting to be the one to
deliver the news. KD paled, opened her mouth and then closed it again. Leo
could see she was shocked, and he didn't blame her.

"I knew it was going to be one of those days." She murmured after a pause.

"He killed three guards in the escape and moved to a warehouse in Detroit
that is apparently a big tourist attraction. He's holding 24 hostages there
now." Jed informed her quietly. KD leaned forward and ran her fingers through
her recently cut hair.

"They send anyone out there?" She asked softly, looking at the two men
she respected as father figures.

"Yes, but . . ." Jed trailed off, unsure of how to say what he had to. A
grave look overcame his face, and Leo's. KD looked at both of them and
suddenly realized what he couldn't say.

"No. No! Damn it, no! Guys, I can't go out there. I will NOT go out
there!" She snapped getting to her feet in a fury.

"Your friend Max Erickson is out there. Charlie's getting him on the
phone now. Faraday says he'll only talk to you." Jed replied, not going to
get emotional. He hated when his job as a President interfered with his life
as a human being, but he didn't know what else he could do.

"He just wants to talk to you, Katy." Leo added.

"Talk?? TALK?? Did you read that damn report? That man . . ." She trailed
off. "I beat that punk within an inch of his life and if I come face to face
with him again, I make no guarantees! I'm not going out there." She added
forcefully. Jed sighed and leaned against his desk.

"He won't talk to anyone but you." Leo said softly.

"Twenty-four people, Katy." Jed added. "Twenty-four innocent people are
at this bastard's mercy."

"And what about those guards? Three guards dead. Four agents he killed
when he was arrested? I know about those ones, I WAS THERE! Do you really
want tomorrow's headlines to read "Terrence Faraday died today when the
President's Political advisor Kathryn Dylan Brody slaughtered him with her
bare hands"?? Twenty-four people can afford to be saved by SOMEONE ELSE, and
be spared the sight of me kicking the crap out of that son-of-a-bitch!" KD
retorted in an angry rant. A silence filled the office as the two men allowed
her a moment to relax. She sighed and looked at her feet.

"I know you too well, kid. You can't fool me into thinking you don't
care." Jed said softly. KD looked at him abruptly, eyes ablaze.

"Don't. Don't you dare do the stern fatherly figure shtick. You don't
know jack shit. You weren't there that day. You don't know this guy." She
snapped fiercely. Jed sighed.

"Katy, if you had told us about this before, talked to us about the
incident." Leo started.

"What's to tell you?" KD interrupted. "Me and seven other agents went
into an abandoned factory to make a routine arrest of a guy who had stolen
seven cars, raped ten women and stolen nearly 3 million dollars in cash
across the country. Next thing I know I'm staring at the blown off head of
one of my best friends and there's gunfire all around my head. Nothing
important there." She said in an eerily calm voice. Both the men stared at
her silently, sensing how much pain they'd suddenly caused her.

"No big deal that I watched two more of my friends get gunned down before
I got a chance to shoot the shooter at which point I proceeded to beat him
senseless. If it weren't for the other surviving agents, I would have killed
that son of bitch. No, nothing important to talk about there either." She
snapped, a little more fiery this time. Jed and Leo exchanged glances. Leo
then looked at the seal on the floor, searching for words. "They fired me for
that. They fired me and gave him life in prison. No big deal." She whispered
in addition.

"Kid, you've got a lot of honor in you. I sense the hesitation in your
voice. I know you too well, we both do, and you know it." Jed said softly
after another set of silent moments. KD stood where she was, staring at her
feet and trying to not cry, the memories flooding back to her.

"You know those people need your help." Leo added quietly.

"Is there a plane waiting?" KD asked softly, not looking up.

"Yes, and Gary is waiting by the West Wing entrance. He's going with
you." Jed replied softly.

"You anticipated me." She whispered. "Who else knows about this?" She
asked, rubbing her eyes to stop the tears and looked up at him. Jed wilted to
see the look in her eyes. Leo nearly felt his heart break apart.

"No one." He said softly.

"Good. Keep it that way, will you?" She replied ominously. Jed frowned
slightly. "At least until the plane takes off."

"Shouldn't you at least-" He started.

"Not Toby, not Josh, not CJ, Sam, the Press, not even Mrs. Landingham.
Please." KD insisted. "Promise me."

"I don't feel like I should." Jed admitted.

"Joss." KD pleaded softly. "Leo. Both of you."

"I promise." Leo said softly.

"I do too." Jed said hesitantly. "Kid, I want you to know, I wouldn't ask
this of you unless-"

"I know, Joss." She interrupted before turning for the door. "I'll call
you from Detroit." She added before disappearing into the hallway. Jed looked
at his best friend and sighed.

"What have I done, Leo?" He asked softly.

"What you always do." Leo exclaimed. "You put the good of the many before
the good of the one."

"Well, thank you, Mr. Spock." Jed retorted dryly.

"Would you prefer I said 'you turned death into a fighting chance to
live'?" Leo asked harshly.

"Your trek bits don't get me, Leo. I still feel like crap."

"You should. I do too, but we did what we had to do."

"It just occurred to me, Leo. What if it happens again? Would she really
kill him?" Jed asked softly.

"I don't know. The only thing I want is for her to come back alive." Leo
replied before getting up and walking back to his office, closing the door.
Jed gulped. He hadn't thought of that. He hadn't thought that KD's life was
in danger because of this. He cursed himself and collapsed into an armchair.

This was going to be a long day.

To Be Continued . . . .