Rogue Nation: Meet the IMF

Chapter 10: Red Box

"Shut up." She told him before she kissed him again, and he did as she ordered, kissing her back, keeping his hands safely on her waist this time.

"I love you." Kat whispered when they broke apart once more. "And I'm staying with you, if you'll let me."

"Always." He promised and she chuckled: "Don't make promises you can't keep."

"No, really." He said seriously as he gazed into her emerald green eyes. "I'm keeping you right here beside me, where I can see you and protect you. Though maybe I should keep you away from Ethan, since he's the real culprit for you getting tangled up in our mess and placing you in danger all the time."

"Hm, then I guess I should thank him." Kat joked lightly. "And if I'd known you'd come clean and confess when I became a wanted fugitive, I'd have done it sooner."

"Yeah." He chuckled, the sound causing Kat's heart to flutter.

He brushed her hair back tenderly, gazing at her with warm blue eyes as he murmured: "It took you kissing a rich asshole for me to realize I loved you; guess it figures it would take being on the run from the government to admit it."

"At least it wasn't me having to kiss another rich asshole." Kat pointed out, and he laughed, laughing even harder as Kat added jokingly: "I just had to kiss a stupid asshole."

"You didn't seem to mind." Brandt teased as he leaned in closer towards her again, and Kat answered a little breathlessly as he brushed his lips against hers: "Well, maybe I'm a good actress."

"Hm, maybe." Brandt agreed, leaning back and away from her.

Kat blinked as he grinned mischievously at her, suddenly looking years younger as he arched a brow and he teased: "Maybe I shouldn't put you through more misery then."

Kat's eyes narrowed and she let out a huff of air, making him laugh.

"You're such a kid." She sighed and he chuckled: "Look who's talking."

"Well," she hooked her legs around him to pull him closer to her, "would it make you feel better if I said I prefer stupid?"

Brandt let out a bark of laughter at that, shaking his head before he leant down to kiss her enthusiastically.

*********

The group pulled up at the restaurant Ethan had told them about slowly, Brandt never letting go of Kat's hand as they walked carefully into the relatively isolated building. Luther and Benji had given him no end of teasing for it, but he preferred it much more than the cold silence he'd had to endure for months.

They spotted Ethan immediately, sitting in a far corner of the room, mostly hidden from the other restaurant customers' sight. The group walked over, Kat settling in a seat beside Ethan and Brandt spinning around a chair so that he could straddle it beside her. The others all settled into the remaining free chairs, watching Ethan as they noted his somewhat dejected air and the conspicuously missing Ilsa.

"So, what do we do now?" Luther asked, and Ethan looked at him before turning to Benji.

"Please tell me," he asked seriously, "you made a copy of that disk."

Benji sighed before pulling out the spare flash drive as he replied: "Of course I made a copy."

Kat smiled a little as Ethan nodded, his eyes moving to rest on Kat just briefly. He noted the faint bruises forming on her forehead and left cheek, although it looked like she'd had them treated. Probably by Brandt if the agent's slightly smug air and the cut on his lower lip were anything to go by.