Cardiac arrest

Dylan sees BJ out of the corner of his eye and shifts his weight just a little, not getting up and moving, but not showing any warmth either. What did the kid want with him anyway? He was supposed to be enthralled with his daddy, not him.

Eventually, Dylan's eyes move without turning his head, to glance at the little boy who was now sitting like him. Great. That's all his dad would want, for him to be copying him right off the bat. Looking across the table, he throws Mick a glance that said, you've got to be kidding me.

Mick can't help a little grin, though he tries to hide it. It was just a little humorous seeing Dylan in that position. "BJ, this is your big brother, Dylan. I don't think he cares much for checkers though, so why don't you bring that board on over here, hmm?"

Dylan's eyes snap back to the table, his thumb nail finding a small notch to outline. Silence was his friend.


Bree's thanks brings a soft sort of smile to Gunner's face. He could imagine her bent head and wanted to reach out and tilt her chin up with a finger. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat." And he would, too. The holidays were slowing the system down, but he was confident that as soon as things started rolling again, Angelica and David would be able to get him out of here some way or another.

"Just hang in there, alright? For me?"


Thirteen moved too fast for Trent to even react and suddenly he was caught in her embrace. So surprised, he just stands there lamely for a moment, not having a clue what to do. He didn't want to be here. He hadn't wanted this to happen. He'd been ready to walk away from everything. He'd been serious about leaving it all behind. But it was as if some invisible force was unlocking his heart, and quite suddenly, it was his father instincts that were taking over instead of logic.

Slowly, slowly, Trent's arms move to wrap around Thirteen and hold her close. His head bends to rest on top of hers and he closes his eyes, taken back so many years before when her tiny fingers had curled around his thumb. He'd held her so few times before she and her mother had been ripped from his life. A tear travels from his eye and down his cheek, dispersing into Thirteen's soft hair.

"I don't see any dirt and scratches in you," he whispers.

Pulling her away a little, his hands move up to cradle her face, brushing aside her hair so he can see her eyes. It was no wonder she'd pegged Eric... she looked more like a Pent than Trent did himself. "You're beautiful inside and out and don't let anybody tell you different."

Searching her gaze, he just felt so lost, having no idea what to do or what to say. Words of his family, and words of Bree haunted his mind, screaming at him not to walk away like he'd wanted to just minutes before.

"I... I suppose you have a lot of questions."


Ben laughs and shakes his head. "Well more power to ya. If you can handle her, then you're the right man for the job."

Jade looks over to Dan, her eyes sparkling even more, now that she had her mom and step-dad's approval. Sliding back over to him, she gives him a big hug and a kiss just on the cheek in front of her parents, smiling at them so broadly.

Jill chuckles and sighs, obviously realizing that no matter what she said, her girl was totally in love.

The doorbell ringing interrupted the happy little moment and Jill jumps. "Ohh, that's going to be Aunt Marcy. Jade, go greet her but don't let her come in the kitchen."

Jade's eyes widen. "Well how am I supposed to keep her out of here? You know she can't keep her hands out of the cooking."

"I don't know." Jill racks her brain. "Take her to the living room. Tell her a story." Her eyes light up. "Ahh... tell her you're engaged. That will keep her there for a while."

Jade puts a hand over her mouth as she giggles. "Yeah, under cardiac arrest." Grabbing Dan's hand, she drags him back to the door. "Come on. If you can make it past Aunt Marcy, the rest of my family will be a piece of cake."