Friendly Advice

"I think it's an amazing idea."

His pacing continued, even as the two women - one at her desk, the other sitting atop it - watched his movements. Deedee had been the one who'd spoken, and sat on Kallie's secretary's desk with her legs crossed in her usually prim manner. In any other instant, Brock would have laughed, but that was not something he was in a mind to do. Morgan was nodding along, glancing at the empty hallway. Both women had voiced their agreements to the idea, but he was still doubtful. Deedee had only found out due to her finding the forms he'd hastily stashed before Vera could see them. It had been close, but a quick kiss and an insistence to lunch had derailed her for the time being. Deedee and Morgan had hit it off immediately, and they had both all but attacked him the moment Vera had gone home.

Now, he needed advice, or if anyone was able to see if he was going insane, it would be her.

Kallie.

"How do I know though?" He murmured, turning about again and continuing his pacing. "How do I know I'm not- not being a complete-"

"Your doubt speaks for itself." Morgan piped up, looking at the clock. "The ministry is emptying. You sent Miss Parker home, if you really want the reassurance, we won't be able to tell you your sane. You won't listen to us." Deedee swung her legs lazily as he paused, looking at them both, arguments and uncertainty drowning in the panic that was starting to set deep under his skin. The last time- The last-

He wasn't supposed to think of the last time.

They both gave him a nod, supportive smiles all around as he raised his fist to the door and knocked.

"Kallie?"

Kallie glanced over her shoulder at the darkening sky. She was sure that Eli must have already left by now, at least she hopped he had. She still had a mound of paper work to do, and did not wish to think of Evelina alone at home much longer. Unless it was a particularly heavy day in the Auror office - which to her knowledge it hadn't been - he should have been close to done by now, if he wasn't already.

Pinching the bridge of her nose, she ignored the slight grumble in her stomach and the way her hair was falling out of its bun ever so slightly. Only she couldn't ignore that for more than a moment before she had ripped the holdings out and allowed the unruly blonde hair to fall down her back. That annoyance done away with she let her gaze turn back to the papers that were covering her desk. She had to deal with these before the evening was up, or else she was in trouble, the whole ministry would be.

Quill hovering over the paper she needed to sign she had just gotten through the second 'L' before there was a knock on the door and a familiar voice calling through it. If she was confused to hear him at this hour at all, the feeling was only heightened by the fact that he actually knocked.

"Brock?" Her voice mirrored his own as she waited for the man to enter.

He had barely waited for a response before pushing the door open, but the hesitation was there, evident in the way he just stood in the doorway, uncertainty etched across the lines of his face. It was only a moment before restless energy took over, and he was pacing again, mouth transformed into a thin line. He didn't- shouldn't- hadn't thought this through.

Why was he here?

It was her, he knew it was. If anyone could tell him he was still sane, it would be the one who'd known him long enough to have an educated opinion on it. Zino would say he was crazy, he knew that already, and so he had been out of the questions. Deedee and Morgan weren't supposed to know, but they both said he was sane. Kallie would- Kallie would know. Kallie had to know.

"I-" He paused before her, and then he was pacing again. "I'm insane, Volchonka. Completely insane." Terror was trying to pull itself from his chest, but he beat it back. Fear would not help him here, no matter how distracting it was. No matter how justified it was. "I- I think I-" He shook his head, stopping again and giving a sigh.

"The last- the last time I- you-" He shook his head again. This was ridiculous. This pattern he was trying to see, it was completely- there was no reason to think- but just because there wasn't a reason didn't mean that it wasn't- that she wouldn't- that he would-

"Why did you leave? On that day? Why did you-?"

Her eyes watched his movement with ease and concern. Pacing was never good, neither was the constant babble that was coming from the man. Placing her hands flatly against the table she opened her mouth to speak only getting half a question out before he was speaking again and she fell silent.

"Pentu, why are you ins-"

She tried to follow his stutters, piece together half statements until she was asked with the one question she had never realized she had dreaded until this moment. In truth, she had never though that she'd need to, ever thing that she knew about Brock stated that he wouldn't ask it, she didn't expect him to ask it.

If he wanted to know...

It had to be important. The only problem was even with all these years to reflect upon it and regret it, she still wasn't entirely sure that she knew.

"Honestly, Brock? I was just a child. A scared and confused child," she shrugged her shoulders, folding her hands a top of her desk and trying to reach back into the past. "I had been so use to... You'd seen my parents, I grew up thinking that was all emotions got you. With you I felt... so many emotions that I had never even thought possible before. They were brilliant and they were wonderful, but they were also so, so frightening. When you didn't-" she took a deep breath through her nose and tried to compose herself, "I knew, even without those words, I knew, but in the end they were just an excuse. I couldn't, it was an outcome I couldn't control. I could feel everything slipping, and I never could believe that you had chosen me in the first place. I was so scared that you would leave and that I hadn't watched my emotions enough. I was scared of becoming my parents." Taking a deep breath she nodded her head. "I acted like an adult, but I was so young."

He paused long enough to hear her words, then he was in motion again, his pace speed nearly doubled. "Elders- meeting today- I should be- home." He was fidgetting, loosening his already loosened tie, running his hands through his hair, trying to pull together that which had been falling apart at the seams since birth.

"I- You don't know. I never- never told- not anyone- Zino- Zino guessed but-" He shook his head. "That day. That day I was going to propose. I was gonna- we were gonna- we could have-" Suddenly he looked old, so so very old, every trace of humor gone. "Before I could you were gone, and I was- I'm so scared, Kallie! What if she- before I can-"

"Am I insane because I think she's going to run off like you did before I can get the words out, or am I sane because I- I'm so scared- what if she doesn't-" His voice shrunk, and suddenly was too small for him.

"What if she doesn't want to marry a screw up like me, like you didn't want to?"

There was a slight thunk in her chest at his declaration. She knew it of course - part of her brain had always known that they could have made it, at least somewhere if she hadn't have left - but there was a slight difference between knowing and being outright told. Not only could they have been there someday had she not left, they could have been -

But that wasn't what she did, and that wasn't where they were now. That didn't make this situation any different - in fact it made it better. Kallie had never fit with Brock, no one could figure out why they had found each other. Things were easy, with Eli, and she'd seen the man before her with Vera.

"First of all, you are not and never were a screw up. If you stopped believing that so much, then maybe you wouldn't think you were so insane for thinking people want you. Brock. There are people who care about you, a lot of people. I never saw a best friend more loyal than Zino, and despite all that happened between us, you still mean the world to me. I still believe in you."

She took a breath and straight, giving the man her most stern stare, one he was more than familiar with.

"And secondly, I have never seen anyone more besotted, more loyal, more devoted to a single person, than that woman is to you. It was obvious to me the first time I saw both of you in the same room. She would wait eternity for you if she had to."

Walking around the desk she came around the desk and took his hand in her. She was as short as ever, dwarfed by his own height but it didn't matter. In this moment she had the force and he was going to listen to her.

"So you are not insane for making sure she doesn't have to."

"But I- I couldn't-" He melted into her touch, shoulders slouching in defeat as her words washed over him. "I've never really been able to keep anyone close, Volchonka. Everyone drifts away."

He half shrank away from her glare, but his first instinct, as ever, to that particular look was to act defiant, and he straightened as she did, tilting his head back in an unfounded attempt to return himself back to normal. "Zino's-" He tried, but instead just looked down at his hand in hers, the memories and moments such as this one flashing through his mind before he shook his head.

"I'm just insane for thinking that she'll say yes is all." He murmured, running his hand through his hair. He grinned a small smile, glancing back toward the doorway before pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Thank you, Volchonka." He tapped the underside of her chin gently, nodding to her. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Life is about changes, it is about people drifting away," Kallie stated, her tone kind, but firm. Her gaze although still stern softened slightly as a warm smile began to hint at her face, threatening to break out, "But every once in a while we find someone who isn't going to drift away, who is going to stay with us for the rest of their lives, and we have every right to try and hold onto that person."

She leaned slightly into his touch, her warm grin spreading to a full one. Slowly the pain of the past was seeping out of their relationship and Kallie felt like they were finding common ground in a friendship. Or maybe that was just her - it was easier to her, she was the one that caused the pain. Still, Brock would always have a place in her heart.

"You're insane for thinking that she'll say no. If you want someone to stay Brock, tell them in whatever way you can manage." Her head tilted to the side slightly in response to his tap, hair falling slightly to the side at the action, "You would be completely lost, and don't you forget it."

Silent for another moment, she finally nodded, pushed up on her toes and brushed his cheek with her lips, "Now get out of here. I have work to finish, and you have a wife to get."