Rating:PG13

Category: Kyle and Jim father son relationship.

Spoilers: "Viva Las Vegas"

Summary: While shopping for a new car, Kyle and Jim spend some much needed time together and talk out some stuff.

Disclaimer: Don’t own anything Roswell. Nope, nope, nope.

"Have we ever had another car?" Kyle mutters. "It’s always been your patrol vehicle."

Jim stands up and takes the vaccum from his son. "We had another car, your mother’s car, a long while back. But no, we haven’t had a car of our own since she left…except for your Mustang, of course."

"Good old Habib."

"I will never get your sense of creativity, son. Remember my first police car?"

"Gertrude?"

"Yeah. Didn’t you name it after some television show?"

"The one with the mannequins. Today’s Special…Gertrude was Sam Crenshaw’s car. But I always had a crush on Muffy the Mouse."

"After you got out of your Miss Piggy phase?"

"Dad, please, don’t bring that up."

"I’m your father. I’m supposed to have an arsenal of things to embarrass the crap out of you."

"And I can tell people about what I caught you and Amy doing…"

"And I can ground you."

"And I can …" Kyle looked at his Dad, whose expression threatened to follow through with the punishment. "go right along with whatever you say."

"I always knew you were a good kid."

Kyle smiled. "Thanks."

"You know, you’re finally getting to the age where I can relate to you like a man. You’re not a little kid anymore, and you’re not really a teenager. Soon you’ll be 18, and you’ll leave."

"Don’t get all soppy on me Dad."

"I love you, Kyle. I don’t say it enough."

"I love you too." Kyle responds, standing up, holding a bag of scraps from the backseat of the SUV. "Have some trash."

"Obviously your poetic skills need some practice, Kyle. What do you say that you follow me in the Mustang, and then we’ll go car shopping. Just the two of us. Guys Day Out."

"That would be cool."

***

Jim sighs as Kyle pulls out of the parking lot. "I am so not used to being the passenger."

"Because you made Hansen and Blackwood teach me to drive? After the first time you tried to teach me?"

"You almost ran into a stop sign, Kyle. And the car was still in park."

"I didn’t know about the emergency brake!"

"And then there was the mailbox, and the trash can…"

"But I haven’t gotten into a wreck."

"Yet!" Jim exclaims as Kyle slams on the breaks. "Watch where you’re going, son."

"I would if you didn’t distract me!"

"I was just talking, watch your turn!"

"Dad, nobody likes a backseat driver!"

"I’m not in the backseat!"

"Technicality!" Kyle exclaims, laughing.

***

"So what do you think of this one?"

"It’s ugly."

"It is not!"

"It’s like a sky blue Dad. Men don’t drive sky blue trucks."

"It’s a good price."

"We can afford the Porsche, you know."

"Kyle, no."

"Dad, the Porsche is cool!"

"I’m starting a business as a private investigator, Kyle. Things are gonna be tight. And how many private investigators drive a fancy car?"

"Maxwell Smart?"

"He was a government agent, Kyle. Which I am NOT."

"Bad example. Magnum?"

"Who?"

"Magnum, P.I."

"Maybe Amy has been around the house too much lately. You’re starting to act like her."

"And that’s a bad thing?"

"I didn’t say that. Just in case you decide to tell Amy, I didn’t say that."

"Yeah, right, Dad."

"So what do you think of this car?"

"The Mustang is still mine, right? I don’t have to drive it?"

"Yeah Son."

"Then it’s cool. But make sure you take it on a test drive."

***

"No, Dad." Kyle says, reaching for the radio. "I am so not listening to NPR."

"You don’t want to stay tuned into what’s going on in the world?"

"That’s what CNN and Rolling Stone is for."

Jim sighed. "Fine, but none of that crap you call music. Something good."

"Not seventies music! Disco is dead, Dad."

"Fine. So how’s your romantic outlook?"

Kyle grasped for the radio knob. "Moldy oldies it is."

"Touching, Son. Touching."

***

Jim stared at his son in disbelief. How can you eat that much?"

Kyle shrugged. "I need my strength. I’m a growing boy."

"With food bills like this, it’s a good thing I didn’t have any other kids. The bill from this McDonald’s is gonna deflate my wallet."

"But do you think you might? Have other kids? Stepkids, or new kids?" Kyle asked, looking up from his burger.

"What are you getting at?"

"Amy. What’s that about?"

He sighed, and played around with his french fries. "To tell you the truth, son, I’m really not sure. Amy…Amy is wonderful. And having her in my life makes everything seem better. She’s standing by me right now, Kyle, and that’s what I need. Is it serious? Yes. Will it amount to more, to marriage? I don’t know. Both Amy and I have been through a lot. We’ve been hurt, and we’ve have you and Maria, and Tess to think of. But maybe, just maybe."

"I wouldn’t be against it."

"You wouldn’t?"

"I like Amy. But it is SOOO gross watching you too make out."

"And I don’t feel like an outsider watching you and Tess flirt."

Kyle spit out a mouthful of his milkshake. "WHAT?"

Jim rolled his eyes. "What do you think I am, stupid or blind? You guys laugh and play around all the time, you do things together. Not exactly like brother and sister."

"You think?"

"Trust someone who’s been around the block more than once."

"Is that why you’re buying that old car?"

"Old is reliable."

"My dad, Old faithful."

"Cut out the old crap, Son."

"Well you’re older than me…"

"Do you want more french fries?"

"Sure."

"So you want to do this again another time?"

"Order french fries?"

"No. Spend time together, father and son."

Kyle smiled. "Sure."

Jim smiled back.

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